New York City Friends: Season 3
by JonathanMagic
Summary: Summer is calling in the Big Apple, dare to join the four women as they go through an interesting summer. Michelle is a newly married woman, Ashley goes through a set of 'unique' lovers, Candice becomes the female version of Gatsby with her extravagant parties, and Torrie becomes a new woman. Your summer just got better... and it's not even summer yet.
1. Tales Of A Single Gal

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 1: Tales Of A Single Gal**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **It was a typical New York City Spring day, 'typical' as I liked to sugar-code a wedding day. My wedding day to be exact.**_

"Can we still call you Michelle or should we call you 'Mrs. Swagger'," Candice teased. "I just can't believe today is your big day!"  
Torrie and Ashley laughed as they patted Michelle's back. "I'm still the same Michelle, please don't forget that," Michelle insisted to them whilst she spread some apricot-jam across her bagel.

Torrie got up from the white lush bed and she went over to stand by the grand hotel window. "Oh how magical, weddings are so dreamy! You must be so excited Michelle," Torrie gushed about. Torrie looked out upon the city's morning foggy skies, with her hand over her heart.

"Okay, calm down bridezilla," Ashley teased. She drank from her glass of freshly made orange juice and turned to them satisfied. "Can I like live in this hotel, it's like really freakin' fancy," Ashley blurted out, loving the soft touch of the silky sheets and the specially made breakfast, and everything else.

 _ **Some wanted weddings and others simply wanted to sleep in a hotel room, I was in between those two.**_

The girls stayed silent for a while, enjoying breakfast in their sleeping wear. Torrie then turned to the clock and she quickly got up, "We should probably finish up and start getting ready," Torrie warned them as she excitedly ran to her bridesmaid dress.

"Always one step ahead of us single girls, and Michelle you know you'll always be a single girl at heart," Ashley told Michelle, while the two got up from the bed.

Michelle turned to her with a confused face, "What's that supposed to mean," she asked, almost defensively. "You know what though, this will probably be our last single gal breakfast," Michelle shook it off.

Candice shook her head and turned to her, "For you!" They all laughed in unison as they began to put on their bridesmaids dresses. The bridesmaids dresses were satin material, with a soft pink color and a pretty pearl necklace to accessorize with. It was simple, yet so exquisite and complicated.

* * *

 _ **I got to thinking about Ashley's comment of me being a 'single girl at heart', I didn't really know what to do with the comment. I did however know what to with the wedding dress, I put it on like a good girl should.**_

"Oh my fuck sakes," Michelle gasped to herself, feeling the dress sink within her skin. She went to the mirror and she stared, it was like a pimple she couldn't stop staring at... except more prettier, but could still possibly pop like a pimple.

"Wow, wow oh wow," Torrie couldn't hold it in the second she saw Michelle. Candice and Ashley followed in, both in awe over how Michelle looked. "You're like, you're like a wife dude," Ashley told Michelle in shock.

Michelle was frozen, as if her winter doubts had come back over her. She put her hands over her pearly white dress, while her single friends watched from the back of the room, "I'm not ready for this, to be a wife, that is something that I am not ready for again," Michelle admitted, turning away to run.

The three women looked at each other and soon they were chasing Michelle down the hotel hallway, "Michelle wait, what are you doing," Candice yelled as they all chased after the bride in dress. "I can't do this," Michelle yelled back, when suddenly a guest of Jack's family side stepped out of her hotel room.

"What the hell, aren't you my nephews soon-to-be-wife," the older lady asked as she watched all four women running in commotion. Michelle panicked and ignored, she ran through the nearest door, which happened to be a janitor's closet.

 _ **I was running for my freedom and ironically I did that by locking myself up in a very small closet.**_

"Michelle, please open up," Ashley begged from the other side of the door. "Give me one reason why I should," Michelle cried out from inside the closet.

"Michelle you will open the door because I said so," Candice got right to the point. Torrie was about to bring up the scripts of love, but Candice took over. "Okay, I remember when I was married to Wade and I locked myself in my bedroom, crying because Wade and I fought and you and Ashley overheard it and I was embarrassed. I was hiding from the reality Michelle and that was getting in the way of me leaving the past behind me, but you two made me open that door and if I hadn't opened that door, Wade would have opened it up for me and I most likely would still have been married to him... so now you need to open this door and see where you go with Jack," Candice explained to Michelle as she leaned her head on the door.

After about five seconds, Michelle finally opened the door and the three girls rushed in. Michelle looked up with her eyes all watery, they all sat by her side.

* * *

The three friends could sense the nervousness in the small space. "I'll make you wanna get married, because trust me, it's rough out their for us single girls," Ashley promised Michelle, with a story ready to spill. "Now let me tell you a little story my friends..."

 _Flashback from two weeks ago._

"Well thank you for coming Ashley," the therapist said with a smile, one that secretly read 'pity'. Ashley took her cherry-flavored lollipop and out she went into the real world, which basically was the monster that forced her into therapy.

 _ **Ashley had been going to therapy for the past few months, according to her it was something that she needed and she wasn't ashamed of it.**_

Ashley stepped into the streets of New York, she could smell the hot-dogs in the corner of that street... then suddenly her nose picked up the smell of some pretentious European cologne from miles away. The infamous French-Scottish man, Drew McIntyre, with his gorgeous wife Maryse along his side.

Ashley panicked, it was too late to go back into the therapist's office, so she ducked down behind the big black trashcan.

Drew and Maryse were in the middle of some deep conversation, he then pointed to the therapy place and laughed. Ashley could see the couple's reflection through the window she was leaning against.

"Gosh, only the needy people go to a therapist! It's quite sad and they're all crazies," Drew said with his thick, rich French accent. Maryse laughed with no worries. They were linked, both literally and metaphorically speaking, you could see the big karat ring around her spoiled finger too. The sun hit the ring's diamond and it reflected back into the window, the glare of that ring blinded Ashley and everybody else for a second.

"Fuck them," Ashley said under her breath. "Fuck them all," Ashley repeated, while she crouched behind the smelly trashcan to protect her pride... ironically. She watched the married couple walk into some other fantasy world, one she didn't belong in.

"Well, back in I go," Ashley said to herself, walking back to her shrink

 ** _Apparently_** _ **freedom smelled like an old cart of hot-dogs and it tasted like dollar cherry lollipops to those 'single girls' at heart.**_

* * *

"So yeah, that happened," Ashley finished off her story while she laughed at her own silliness. They all laughed too and Ashley didn't blame them.

"So you're basically saying that being single sucks," Michelle asked as she sniffled from all of the tears.

Ashley nodded, but then shrugged. "Well, kind of, being single rocks, but it's not for everybody... similar to how being married must rock, but it's not for everybody," Ashley explained, waiting for the next humiliating story from one of the women.

 _ **And again I got to thinking about what Ashley really meant by that comment.**_

Torrie got jittery, "Oooh, okay, my turn," she told them, with a specific story in mind.

 _Flashback from a couple of days ago._

"Do you like your chicken," Corey Graves asked Torrie. Torrie nodded with a kind, simple smile.

 _ **Corey Graves was a 32 year old Queens man, he was in marketing and he was also a part time dancer. Torrie had been seeing Corey for the past few weeks, they were really hitting it off, but Corey was practically a 2.0 CM Punk.. except Corey really believed in monogamy and the wonders of love, he was like a fruity version of Punk.**_

"You should marry me," Corey suggested out of nowhere. Torrie gasped, she dropped her fork and she backed away. "I've known you for less than a month, I'm sorry, but no," Torrie told him off.

The entire restaurant turned to the two, watching as Torrie rejected the vulnerable man in front of them all. "It's okay guys, we've only known each other for three weeks! I still really like him and he's a great man, and believe me, I really really love love and I would have said yes if I had known him for a longer time and I probably would be doing back-flips-" Torrie went on about to the bunch of strangers.

Corey interrupted her, he kissed her on the cheek and he politely sat her down, "It's fine everybody, she's a lovely woman and I am not hurt, don't worry," he let them all know, by then everybody had lost interest and they all went back to their own business.

"Thank you punk," Torrie said, without even thinking about it.

"What," he asked confused. "I mean... you know, thank you, you little punk cutie," Torrie tried to save herself from the cringe-worthy car crash that nobody could really look away from, not even herself.

He laughed and she did too, "You're silly, I like that," Corey told her.

* * *

They all laughed as Torrie covered her face with her hands, "It's not funny, I was mortified," Torrie told them. "His poor face! I should've said yes, he's everything I want in a man... except he just doesn't feel like the one," she admitted.

"Yeah, I think we've all agreed that he reminds us of Punk and he looks like Punk too honey... except he's a more softer pussy version of Punk," Candice said as they all laughed.

Torrie shrugged "That's not it, he just doesn't feel authentic," Torrie tried explaining.

"That's because you've met him already, aka Punk," Ashley said. Michelle interrupted, "Okay what was the point of that story," Michelle asked Torrie.

"The point of the story is that it's not so simple to just say yes to any man... but you did and he wasn't just any man, he was Jack! You and Jack are supposed to be together," Torrie reassured Michelle.

 _ **Torrie had a point.**_

Candice had the floor now, the three women turned for the last story. Candice rolled her eyes and her story soon rolled out from her tongue.

 _Flashback from one week ago._

"Ugh, look at Candice, why on earth would she bring her little young boyfriend to a child's birthday party," one of the Shannon's said. "I know, you divorce Wade and we are okay with that, but to then go from Wade to some young dancer or actor or whatever he calls himself, it's just wrong," the other fellow Shannon said.

"Who knows what he calls himself, but we sure know what she calls him, she probably calls him 'boy-toy'. What a bad influence," another catty woman added.

 _ **Candice was still seeing Cody, the road has been more rocky for the two, but they've managed to stay together and Brooklyn's friends mothers were definitely burning up with jealousy.**_

Candice looked back at them, standing in her 'unsocial' corner with Cody by her side, "Look at them judging me, what a bunch of phony's," Candice said about them, making sharp eye-contact with them. "Hold my hand, they think I care what they think.. well I don't," Candice proclaimed as she proudly held on to Cody's hand.

"Don't let them get the best of you," Cody advised Candice.

Candice turned around and shook her head, "You're right, let's just go! Brooklyn is here with his friends and they mean a lot to him, but that doesn't mean I have to be friends with their mothers... I'd rather just stay away and not ruin Brooklyn's friendships," Candice insisted as the two walked away for their own private party.

* * *

In the middle of Candice's story, Michelle abruptly stood up to leave the janitor's closet, "My wedding is in one hour, let's go get ready," Michelle confidently proclaimed as all four women followed her down the hallway.

 ** _I freed myself from the 'fear-box' I was locking myself in. Because whatever was destined to happened, I was ready._**

"Wait, I didn't finish my story," Candice said. "Let me guess it ends with you flicking them off or proving them wrong by making out with him in front of them all," Michelle took a guess.

Candice picked up her speed to catch up with the soon-to-be bride, "Uh no, I had hot sex with him... not in front of them of course, but oh they knew we would be doing it and they probably didn't have sex that night, and if they did it was probably with their old bald husbands," Candice went on about. "And my point is that it's all the same, being married or not being married... it's all about who you're standing by!"

"I will be standing by Jack, I know that, so let's get our makeup and hair done ladies," Michelle ordered her 'wedding troops'.

* * *

 _ **After about forty-five minutes of makeup and after months of fear, the world was finally ready. It seems as though I was the last one to be ready.**_

"Wow, look at Jack. I think I want to marry him now, too bad I'm not the marriage type," Ashley teased. Michelle turned to her and smiled, "Okay, start heading out," the bride told her bridesmaids.

Candice was the first one to go through the doors and down the aisle, Torrie followed and the guests all turned their heads to look at the beautiful bridesmaids with their handsome groomsmen by their sides.

Ashley was one second behind Torrie, when Michelle suddenly pulled her by the arm, "What did you mean when you said I was a single girl at heart and that not everybody is marriage material, what does that mean," Michelle finally confronted Ashley.

Ashley turned to her and chuckled, "I didn't mean it in a bad way! I said that you're a single girl at heart because you're a free woman and you always have been, even when you were married to Mark, that's all I meant," Ashley explained to Michelle.

 _ **And then suddenly I understood what she meant all along.**_

Michelle shook her head, "A married woman can be a free woman too Ashley," Michelle responded. "I know and I realized that when we were in the closet! A free woman can be anything, which is why I said I'm not marriage material and guess what... I'm also not single girl material, because I'm not sure I still have my freedom, which is why I'm in therapy I suppose," Ashley admitted.

The two friends hugged, "I'm sorry," Michelle whispered. "Now go out there and be something in between those two types of women... which would be a bridesmaid," Michelle reassured her, nudging Ashley towards the door.

 _ **And then suddenly I found myself praying, praying that I wouldn't lose my freedom.**_

Seconds behind Ashley, Michelle followed down the aisle, with no man there to give her away... but a man lovingly awaited to take her away. Jack smiled at the sight of her, Michelle smiled back and the two were locked in a chapter that was just about to begin for them.

* * *

 _ **Vows and a kiss sealed the marriage official and it seemed to me that every other chapter in my past had been sealed too.**_

Michelle and Jack held hands as they ran down the aisle to their limo. The three bridesmaids and the three grooms followed, the guests all cheered in joy for the newly wedded couple.

A taxi cab passing by honked to congratulate them and the married couple waved back to the cab driver. Before getting in the limo, Jack pulled her in to kiss her, "I love you," he said, staring into her face.

Michelle smiled and she pulled him by the tie for another kiss, "You're my Jack, and I love you too," Michelle lovingly told her husband. The two jumped into the limo. The three girls looked at each other and they were all in awe, they then followed into the limo and they drove off.

Michelle rolled down her window and looked out. The chilly Spring winds threw her hair around, covering her face, but she could still see and Jack's hand in her's sure made it easier to see.

 _ **Married or single, I was determined to keep my freedom.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Drew McIntyre, Maryse Ouellet, Corey Graves, Cody Rhodes, and Jack Swagger.**

 **Written & Created By~ Jonathan N.**

 **Published On March 26, 2016.**


	2. Women Are Human Too

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 2: Women Are Human Too**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **Once upon a time, a woman made some delicious pancakes for her husband. He ate two and she only ate one, but she made her's with the last of the chocolate chips.**_

"They're good, right," Michelle attentively watched as Jack cut a piece of his pancake with his fork. "I am so proud, I made some pretty damn good pancakes," Michelle tooted her own horn.

"They're delicious and this is all pretty fucking fantastic, you know, having breakfast with my wife," Jack gushed about. He walked over to open the living room window and the ruckus of the city could wake anybody up, even a newly wedded couple in love.

 _ **It felt like that perfect 'husband and wife' moment... which only lasted so long, especially since the 'wife' also stretched far from just the 'wife' identity.**_

Michelle's phone began to vibrate on the table, "Oh shit, I got a message from the creative director," Michelle said.

 _Michelle we need you in the office, JAN's headquarters wants us all to meet up for some type of project they want us to work on-_ the text message read.

 _ **It looks like my 'second identity' was calling me.**_

Michelle began typing back- _I'll be there asap._ "I'm so sorry Jack," Michelle told him.

Michelle kissed him on the cheek and rushed to get a last minute outfit ready. "I have to go, it's important, I'm sorry," Michelle tried explaining to Jack from the other room.

Jack nodded, disappointed, but he knew he couldn't stop her. "Good luck," he said under his breath while he continued eating.

* * *

Michelle practically hopped down her apartment stairs, skipping every two steps. She searched for a cab, but nothing, they were all taken.

Michelle started walking as fast as her heels could take her, when an available cab did finally come across Michelle's radar two blocks away, some man in a business suit took it within seconds. "Fuck you," Michelle cussed him out, watching as the man got in the cab.

 _ **We're all human beings living in this harsh world, but this world is definitely a man's world... or at least that's what men want to strongly believe.**_

Michelle didn't have time to look for an open cab, so she ran to the nearest subway station. "Oh god, thank you," Michelle said while she rushed down the staircase. Michelle rushed past all of the people.

"Oh my god," Michelle fearfully yelled as she held onto her chest, "You almost pissed on my shoes," Michelle told the peeing man as she continued to rush. "And these shoes feel like they're shrinking," Michelle said to herself while waiting in line to pay the subway fare.

 _ **After finally paying the fare and after almost being stopped by some banjo-playing hippie with a very scruffy beard, I was finally in the subway... but the world and my fate wasn't in my palms. I couldn't make the subway move any faster and I couldn't make it less crowded, all I could do now was sit down and hope no freak would dance on the pole for us.**_

* * *

 _ **It's been two months and Ashley was just as committed to therapy as she was when she first started.**_

"Hello Ashley, nice to see you," the receptionist greeted Ashley. "Hello, does Tania have a patient," Ashley asked as she signed herself in. "I'm afraid so, but I'm sure she won't be long," the receptionist responded.

Ashley sat down, she had her hands in between her legs, impatiently tapping her foot on the floor. The other waiting patients turned to her, all very offended and Ashley was positive at least one of them would bring the moment up to their therapist.

"Oh _dios mio_ , it's you Ashley," Alberto exclaimed, staring at her and waiting for her to react just as excitedly as he did. Ashley looked up slowly, "Oh no, you found me," she greeted back.

Alberto nodded and smiled, meanwhile Ashley simply turned her head back down to read the magazine. "How have you been Ashley," Alberto asked her.

"Good, sure... it was a pleasure seeing you," Ashley told him off.

* * *

"Okay, mother prepare yourself! For I have discovered a great boarding school, dad approved and I really wanted your approval too," Brooklyn asked the second he walked into the kitchen.

Candice turned to him, "Sure, why not, is there anything I have to sign," she asked. Brooklyn nodded happily, "It's just for the summer, if I like it, I'll go full time for the upcoming school year," Brooklyn explained to her.

 _ **And then suddenly Candice's mind changed from 'sure' to 'hell no'.**_

"No, I'm sorry," Candice said to him, handing the pen back to him. Brooklyn was confused, "Why? Dad was thrilled when I told him about it, it's a good school and any college would accept me if I went there for at least a year," he tried explaining to his mother.

Candice looked away, she took a pause and then turned to him slowly. "Fine then, you got me! If your dad says yes... then I guess I should too," Candice sarcastically said.

Brooklyn shook his head and walked away, "Sorry, baby, not today," she denied her son.

* * *

 _ **Therapy made Ashley a nicer person... according to her, but the witnesses in that waiting room testify against her to call her a bitch.**_

"What magazine are you reading," Alberto asked. Ashley lifted up the magazine, without saying anything, she let him figure it out. He nodded from his seat across her's, "Ahh, okay. _People_ magazine, I love it," he exclaimed, trying to bond with her.

"No, I don't love it. If I knew I would be waiting for my damn therapist I would've carried my own magazines... or books," Ashley shot him down.

Alberto chuckled, "Did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me or did you wake up to a bad day," Alberto wondered. "Sorry, that's only for my therapist to know," Ashley told him off again.

 _ **The weather was nice outside, but Ashley's cold shoulder was sure chilling up the place.**_

 _"Ashley,"_ the therapist called from her room's door. Ashley quickly dashed up from her chair, "Well, it was nice seeing you," Alberto said to Ashley.

Ashley said nothing directly back, "Yeah sure, 'Mr. Boring Man'... who left me at a wedding," Ashley said under her breath while she walked towards her therapist.

* * *

 _ **I was about to get lost in my own thoughts, when I suddenly got distracted by a mother's conversation on the phone.**_

"Don't worry honey, I'll be there as soon as I can, I promise you," the woman said to her daughter on the phone. Michelle was sitting across the busy mother, overhearing the conversation and feeling some type of empathy.

"Mommy has to go now! But I promise you I'll make it to your play," the tired woman promised. She hung up the phone and caught Michelle staring, "So you overheard me helplessly promising something that I might not fulfill to my hopeful little daughter," she asked Michelle with a smile.

Michelle nodded and smiled back,"Yes, I happened to hear all of it! You get trapped in a subway, don't expect everything to be private... literally," Michelle jokingly responded.

"Right, you must be new to the city? Because people don't usually pay attention to anybody else in this place, despite how overcrowded this place always is," she said. Michelle threw her head back and laughed, "No, I've been a New Yorker for the past 17 years... I don't usually take the subway that often... I like to observe things and people, I'm always analyzing everything, so a subway to me is just overwhelming I guess," Michelle told the woman.

"In that case, this entire overcrowded city must be overwhelming to a curious woman like you," she teased Michelle. Michelle nodded and the conversation ended right then and there.

 _ **After about 15 minutes, the subway had reached my stop and the people rushed out in a hurry... the mother had fallen asleep seven minutes ago and I felt like it was my duty to wake her up.**_

Before exiting Michelle tapped on the busy mother's shoulder, "Hey, even if this isn't your stop, sleeping here is probably not a good idea! Just thought I'd wake you up," Michelle told her.

The woman rubbed her eyes and she shook Michelle's hand, "Right, thank you! Looks like I won't be missing my daughter's play today," she said as she rushed out. Michelle followed and the two women raced to their destinations, like the many others in the city.

* * *

Torrie and Corey were just about to leave for some afternoon pizza, when Torrie caught a glimpse of Punk picking up his mail. "Oh my god I have to introduce you," Torrie exclaimed, pulling Corey by the hand.

"Hey Punk, this is Corey," Torrie yelled to Punk as she ran across the street to him. "It's the guy I've been telling you about," Torrie told him. Punk was caught off guard, he was looking forward to just laying back in bed with his depressing pajama pants and accompanying grey t-shirt.

Punk waved to Corey and went in to shake his hand, "Hello, you must be 'Punk'," Corey questioned. "That's what they call me," Punk replied with a chuckle.

 _ **It was like they were looking in a mirror.**_

Torrie was happy Punk finally got to meet him, "Okay, well we should go," Torrie finally said as she started walking away. "This guy is practically me, Alicia told me, but I didn't believe her," Punk said.

Corey laughed as he tucked his hands into his pockets, "They say every person has a twin out their in the real world, I guess I found my twin! We should have like an arm wrestling match or a dance-off," Corey jokingly replied.

"Okay, fuck, sure, why not, let's have a dance-off," Punk challenged Corey.

 _ **It was like 'Step Up', except the Channing Tatum was Punk... and Punk really isn't a dancer... so I guess it really wasn't like 'Step Up'.**_

Corey took off his jacket and he handed it to Torrie, Punk took off his slippers and he handed them to Torrie too. "We really should get going," Torrie insisted, but the two guys were ready to dance it off.

Corey started to shake his arms, with the whole rest of his body stiff, like a mummy whose arms were injected with coke. "That's all you got," Punk teased. Corey started to move his head left then right, he then started to wobble his knees and he threw his hands in front of him like a fish without water.

 _ **Torrie wanted to laugh, watching two grown men dancing it off in the streets of Lower Manhattan was not a new sight... but she never thought she'd be a part of it.**_

Punk started throwing his fist in the air, he pumped it up with a rhythm, he had momentum... but then he threw his back out. "Oh fucking shit," he said. "Corey, you fucking win, congratu-fuck-ulations to you," Punk said to Corey as he took his slippers back from Torrie.

Punk walked back inside, almost hunched back and depressed-like, Torrie didn't think losing to a 'dance-off' was the reason, she knew something was up.

* * *

 _ **After a very long way to work, I was finally there.**_

Michelle had stopped rushing about forty minutes ago, she actually stopped for a quick Jersey style' sandwich at some stand she found near the corner.

"I'm here! And I know you called at ten in the morning and it's four PM now, but have mercy," Michelle begged the front desk receptionist. The receptionist shrugged and laughed it off, "Oh, don't worry about it Michelle! I tried calling you, but you didn't answer! They actually changed their minds after all, and I tried calling you to let you know that they didn't need you anymore," she notified Michelle.

 _ **I always thought Church was the prime example of how to waste my Sunday, but this was now the prime example.**_

Michelle tried nodding, but with a very disappointed look on her face. "Shit, I can't even be mad, it's my fault I forgot my phone at home," Michelle moaned about as she put her hands over her face. Michelle started to laugh at the whole messy day, "It's funny, it really is," she continued laughing. The receptionist joined to laugh, but when Michelle's laughter faded into crying the receptionist backed off. "It's funny, but pathetic," Michelle cried.

"I'm so sorry Michelle." The receptionist handed her a tissue.

Michelle took the tissue, wiping her miserable tears, "I left my husband while we were having a peaceful Sunday breakfast! I came running here like an idiot, I'm not some bionic woman... I can't do this on last minute notice," Michelle cried about.

 _ **And that's when I realized I was just a woman in fabulous Christian Dior heels, with very tired feet inside those heels.**_

* * *

"I picked out that Leonardo DiCaprio movie, I thought we could watch it together," Cody suggested to Candice. "Okay, sure," Candice said tediously. The two sat down, but before the movie even started, Candice paused it.

"Brooklyn can't just leave like it's his decision! It's okay if he leaves for a couple of weeks, but to leave for an entire summer and then for an entire school year, it's not fucking okay," Candice had a tirade about Brooklyn's boarding school news.

Cody nodded, but he knew she was mostly just talking to herself and didn't care for his opinion. "Let's watch the movie now," he threw in, but she didn't hear.

"You know what, I'm not gonna feel guilty about not letting him go! I'm his mother and I say no to all of this boarding school absurdity," Candice finally decided after very much thinking.

Cody rested his head back as he grunted. "I'm gonna go," Cody said as he got up from the couch. "Cody, I'm a mother of a teenager and I have to deal with shit like this, so excuse me for not having time to watch movies with you," Candice told him off.

 _ **In a perfect world a woman would have time for every man that is in need of her, but that only exists in those 60s movies.**_

* * *

After Jiu Jitsu class, Ashley headed home with no expectations, which her therapist advised. "Hey, Ashley! Dinner," Alberto asked with a smile. "I can't, sorry," Ashley rejected him with no second thought.

"Come on _hermosa_! The sky is all dark grey, but don't be fooled, the night is still young and I can show you that by taking you to dinner to some restaurant where the lights are all romantic and what not," Alberto described to her in a way that made her change her mind. "My therapist told me to stay away from men and dating and all of that," Ashley tried explaining, but she heard herself and then laughed.

 _ **No matter how hard we try, women sometimes fall like fools too.**_

Ashley smiled and Alberto winked. "Okay, let me just get dressed," Ashley told him as the two walked out of that place together.

 _ **Her cold shoulder soon sure warmed up to Alberto. The two had dinner and it was 'legit the shit' according to Ashley, he was sweet and he never stopped complimenting her during their date.**_

* * *

"I can't let you go, I'm sorry, but I can't," Candice told Brooklyn as she walked into his room. Brooklyn put his phone down and got up from his bed quickly, "Mom, I am entering High School and I need to do what can help my chances of going to a great college and this boarding school is it, you can't possibly be against that," he argued with her.

Candice shook her head and crossed her arms, "Brooklyn, no, why, because I said no! You go to a great private school, it's prestigious and you're doing just fine there," Candice pointed out to him.

"Dad says 'yes' because he understands, but you never understood," he told her. "You're self-obsessed and you're blind to everything around you... even during the divorce you were blind to the reality that it's not all about you," Brooklyn badmouthed his mother.

 _ **And the truth came out, it was like a slap to the face of Candice.**_

Candice turned the other cheek, "Go to sleep, I am not in the mood to argue." Candice turned around, "And don't disrespect me, I am your mother and I will stand by my decision and you will just have to accept it," she boldly put her foot down.

 _ **Candice wanted to be the super-mom that was awesome and cool, but she didn't have the energy to pretend she was okay with him leaving.**_

* * *

 _ **Women care restlessly, which is why some really do get tired. If something or somebody really means a lot to a girl, they will care hard and that's the part that makes a woman human.**_

Corey went home, they cancelled pizza night and Torrie went straight to Punk's place to check up on him. She waited for Punk to open the door, he took about three minutes, but he finally opened up. "Oh hey Torrie, where's Corny... I mean Corey," he teased, yet with such a depressing tone to his voice.

"What's going on, you've been acting really strange lately and I'm starting worry," Torrie admitted, but Punk just shrugged and waved goodbye to her. "I have to go, goodnight," he responded to her short & simple.

Torrie began walking down the staircase, she turned around one last time, "If you ever need to talk, I'm here, we can even talk right now," Torrie insisted to her depressed friend. "Goodbye Torrie," Punk repeated as he shut the door on her.

Punk opened up, only to close shortly after. Torrie stood on the sidewalk staring at the door, worried about what Punk was hiding.

* * *

Michelle decided to call Jack, but he didn't pick up, so she left a message."Hey, I'm sorry about the craziness today," Michelle apologized. "I apparently left my phone at home and I'm borrowing this one from a co-worker, it's a funny long story, can't wait to see you and tell you all about it," she chuckled softly as she hung up the phone.

 _ **As I laughed at the day I realized I had nothing to apologize for, I tried my best to make the day work, but I am just a petite human being on this unpredictable heavy world.**_

Michelle hung up the phone and gave it back to the receptionist, "Well off I go."

 _ **As I searched for a cab, a part of me wanted to take the subway back home.**_

Michelle joined the crowd of sleepless walking people on the subway, she rested her eyes for a second, only to fall completely asleep seconds later.

 _ **This woman had to recharge her battery.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Jack Swagger, Alberto Del Rio, Brooklyn Barrett, Corey Graves, CM Punk, and Cody Rhodes.**

 **Published On April 2, 2016.**


	3. Love & Romance Are Not Sisters

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 3: Love & Romance Are Not Sisters**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **We all have love, for somebody or for something. But we all love, even serial killers love... they love to kill, Gothic rebellious hardcore metal teens also love... they love hating. But it is tough to really keep it alive and feel it in the veins.**_

It was another afternoon, Michelle was determined to have a romantic dinner with Jack. She placed the nice beige table linens on the table and she lit a few white candles around the table. Michelle carried on and set the dinning table with dinnerware; forks and knifes and all types of spoons, fancy wine glasses too.

There was only one important part missing- the food. Michelle didn't realize that until she picked up two plates, "Oh shit, no food," Michelle grunted. "I can cook, you know what I can cook," Michelle insisted to herself as she picked up the cookbook.

She poured herself a glass of wine to prepare herself, but when she moved the book closer to her she spilled some wine on the perfect non-edible table. She quickly grabbed the napkin to avoid letting the red wine damage her table linen, but it was too late.

Michelle threw the napkin back, only to have it land on the candle. "Oh crap, no, no," Michelle yelled as the napkin caught on fire. The fire was small, but it was a fire. She ran to the sink and threw it in with her bare hands, "Oooh, that burned," she cried out.

 _ **I sure couldn't feel the love in my veins, but I could feel it on the fingers of my left hand... and it hurt like a mother fucker.**_

"Okay, this is a sign Michelle! Don't fucking cook," she said to herself.

* * *

 _ **The next morning, Ashley's own fire of curiosity was about to burn Alberto a little.**_

The two had finished their therapy sessions at the same time, the morning was fresh... until Ashley started to wonder why Alberto was going to therapy. "Why are you seeing a shrink," Ashley abruptly asked.

Alberto turned to her, "Don't worry about it _chica_ , now what do you say to some classic _Nueva York_ beagles for breakfast" he told her, changing the subject while giving her a wink.

"Hey, I told you why I was in therapy! I think it would be fair if you told me, it can't be that bad," Ashley tried getting an explanation or story out of him. Alberto simply said no with his little finger, "No, no, no."

Ashley shook her head and laughed, she then grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into her body. "Come on, I can give you a little present if you do! My place isn't too far away from here, I live in a loft and everything feels better in a loft," Ashley teased. Giving him a wink right back. Ashley then proceeded to stick his finger into her mouth, she licked it while staring directly at him.

Alberto pulled his finger out, "No," he repeated and continued walking.

* * *

 _ **That same morning Candice got the call she didn't want to hear from the person she didn't want to hear from.**_

 _"I'm calling to let you know that Brooklyn is leaving in a few hours for that Summer boarding school thing, just thought you'd wanna know,"_ Wade told Candice through the phone. Candice wasn't used to talking with Wade on the phone, they usually just stuck to email and text.

She stayed quite for a second, "I believe I said no and he needed two approving signatures for them to enroll him into that summer boarding school," Candice argued with him.

Wade chuckled, _"Woops! My girlfriend actually took that spot and she signed right away,"_ Wade notified Candice.

 _ **Candice was furious, she almost threw her phone across the room.**_

"That bitch," Candice said without holding back. Wade quickly interrupted her before she could go on a rant, _"I have you on speaker Candice, she heard that,"_ Wade warned her.

Candice sarcastically laughed, "I don't care! He's my son Wade and she had no permission to do that, I can't believe the school would allow anybody other than his parents to just sign him away" Candice ranted on about. "I'm pissed Wade," she warned her ex-husband and his new little girlfriend.

 _"Candice, I understand, but this is what's best for Brooklyn and I wouldn't just send him away if I hadn't done my research on that school,"_ Wade reassured Candice. _"He'll be gone for about two months, if you wanna say goodbye just give us a call."_

Candice grunted, "If you wanna say goodbye just give us call," Candice mocked her ex-husband. _"Candice, I'm still on the line!"_

"Whatever, bye Wade," Candice carelessly replied, hanging up the phone immediately.

* * *

"Am I not sexy," Ashley asked Alberto. "I'm 'beautiful' you say, but am I not sexy," she asked after Alberto rejected her finger-licking tease.

Alberto laughed and hugged her, "You are sexy, but I don't really care for sexy," Alberto told her. "I'm asexual and that's why I'm in therapy," he finally revealed to her.

 _ **Ashley always seemed to pick the ones that were unavailable and wrong for her, this time it was quite literal.**_

"I'm not judging by the way, but why are you insisting on taking me out to dates and shit," Ashley asked. Ashley also had many other questions that popped into her head, but she didn't want to overwhelm him.

"An asexual person isn't into sex, but some still enjoy romance and dating," he explained to her. "I'm just not into sexual intercourse or love and relationships."

Ashley nodded, but it was hard for her to comprehend. "Then what are you into, because you kind of really tried with me," Ashley asked.

"That's where therapy comes into the story! I thought I wasn't asexual for a while, but it turns out I just really enjoy romance... but nothing else," Alberto explained to her.

 _ **Love and romance are two very different things, Ashley was hearing it first from a self-proclaimed asexual man.**_

"I like going on romantic dinners and I like going on romantic walks on the beach and I like all of that _dulce_ romantic stuff... but I don't plan on marrying or being in a relationship or even sticking with the same person for no more than a month or so, I also never have any sexual attractions," he clarified.

Ashley gave him a smile to show that she understood, but she was internally screaming.

* * *

It was a typical day for Torrie, she dressed up to go on a date. Torrie was about to go out to meet Corey, when she noticed Punk's door wide open. She hurried across the street to his place, the first thing she came across was a bottle of scotch right by the door.

"Punk, are you in here," Torrie called out as she cautiously stepped inside his place. "Oh my god," Torrie gasped the second she saw Punk facing down on his living room floor. She rushed to him and tried lifting his body up, "Punk, can you hear me," she called out, but nothing.

Torrie struggled to get a hold of him, but after much struggling she finally set him down on the couch. She searched around his messy dark apartment, "Punk, please be okay," she cried out.

 _ **For a second Torrie really thought that she had lost a friend.**_

Torrie could hear his heartbeat, she got up and turned on the lights. She opened up the blinds and about eight bottles of scotch lied around the floor, some half empty and others completely empty and others still full. Like rats stuck on traps, with nowhere to hide their secrecy.

Punk coughed and he slowly opened up his eyes, "Torrie, who the hell let you in," he asked while he rubbed his tired eyes. Torrie rushed to him, "The door was wide open and I was worried, Punk you were passed out on the floor," Torrie explained to him.

Punk gave her a thumbs up, "Thank you," he said. "Now go away, go to your little date with that one guy, just go," Punk refused her caring nature. Torrie froze, she couldn't believe he was actually kicking her out of his place after the scare he gave her.

"GO TORRIE," he yelled. Torrie's eyes widened like a deer in headlights, she didn't understand, "Punk, I'm trying to help you!"

"Torrie, please, go," Punk repeated and Torrie hesitated at first, but she finally left.

 _ **And it turns out, Torrie did end up losing a friend.**_

* * *

 _ **That afternoon, I went to pick up some Chinese food for a romantic dinner I was determined to have with my husband... without having to actually cook it.**_

Michelle waited in line, when she suddenly felt a hand brush on her arm. She turned, only to see Mark's smile. "Ah, I knew that hand felt familiar," she jokingly said as the two went in for a hug. "How are you," she asked.

Mark nodded and tried to come up with something to tell her. "The real question is, how have you been? With your wedding and new husband, being a wife again, how are you," he asked.

"I'm a mess, it's busy, but I'm getting a hang of it," Michelle responded. Mark chuckled, "Ahh, I remember when you would get me Chinese food... and that wasn't even my favorite type of food," he reminisced on.

She threw her head back and laughed, "No, but it is my favorite type of food! What can I say, this City has the best Chinese Food... sorry China," she responded with a laugh. "But how are you, you're the one with the child," Michelle asked.

"It's also busy and a complete adorable bundle of lovely mess, like you," he teased, almost flirtatiously.

 _ **It's all fun and games, until you don't show up to my wedding.**_

Michelle stayed silent for a while, she kept her arms crossed and looked over the menu. When suddenly, "Why didn't you come to my wedding and don't use the baby as an excuse because babysitters exist, that really did hurt my feelings," she admitted.

Mark shook his head, not knowing what to tell her. "I'm sorry Michelle, I was busy and I'm pretty sure you weren't that hung up on it on your wedding day... unless you're like obsessed with me," he replied.

Michelle rolled her eyes, "Okay asshole! You know my situation with my family, my friends are practically my family and that includes you, but you were no-show... so yes, I was somewhat hung up on it," she admitted.

"I'm sorry," he tried apologizing. "You know what, were not talking! And no cutting stranger, back of the line," she told him as she turned away from him.

 _ **It looks like I lost a friend too.**_

* * *

Candice rushed through the airport, her _Prada_ heels sure kept up and she was relieved when she finally saw Brooklyn. "Brooklyn, oh thank god, Brooklyn," she yelled. Brooklyn didn't turn around, "Brooklyn please," she begged, but he didn't stop.

From behind Candice came Wade, "Stop! It's only for three months, let him go," Wade advised her. Candice turned to him and she felt like slapping him, "If he likes the damn boarding school he'll be going for a full school year, I can't handle that," she explained to her ex-husband.

"You'll still get to see him over the holidays and it's not your life, he's going to leave at some point for college, this way it'll be easier when the time does come," he told her.

 _ **As Candice watched Brooklyn walk away, a part of her sunk underneath the love she has for her son and it was hard for her not to be able to have him every second of every day.**_

"It's easy for you to let him go because you're lost in your stupid gross relationship with your stupid new young girlfriend and it feels like heaven, so you're blind to the fact that your son is practically ready to exit your life," Candice made him aware of.

Wade sarcastically laughed as he walked away to his girlfriend, "So glad we're divorced," he said under his breath.

 _ **It can often hurt to love, but does romance ever really hurt?**_

* * *

 _ **After finally getting my Chinese to go, my question was answered.**_

"Michelle, hey, please wait! I'm sorry, the real reason I didn't go to your wedding was because my wife and I weren't on best terms and I didn't want to go alone... to a wedding," Mark explained to Michelle.

Michelle patted his shoulder, "It's fine, I made a big deal out of it because you're the closest I have to family, you and my three girls, so I was disappointed that you didn't go," Michelle told him. "But it's fine!"

Mark stopped her before she could leave, "No it's not and that's why I was hoping to talk to you about it," he said.

Michelle and him ended up walking to a nearby bench and she put the food down, "What's going on," she asked. Mark shook his head, he tried finding the words to start, but he just abruptly got to the point. "Ever since the baby arrived our relationship has gone dry and at first I was cool with it, but when I finally brought it up she got pissed and we had a fight and now it's a topic we don't bring up," Mark told her.

"So you don't bring up the word 'romance' anymore," Michelle asked. "We don't bring it up because we don't have it anymore, it's a dry relationship without the romance or fire," he admitted.

 _ **And that's when my question was answered. Romance does hurt, it hurts not to have it.**_

"Oh trust me, you don't want fire! I burned my hand trying to cook a romantic dinner, but it failed," Michelle told him, while she laughed. "But seriously, all that matters is that you two love each other," she reassured him.

Mark smiled and nodded, "You're right, I love my two girls too much! Thanks Michelle," he said as he got up. "Well, I actually got out of line to talk to you, but never actually got the food I came for!"

"Back of the line again," she teased him. The two hugged goodbye and began walking away in separate directions.

 _ **The truth is, Romance is an allusion that can damage the real love.**_

* * *

Two friends met in Central Park, to discuss the topic of the complex situations they found themselves in. "I think something is really wrong with Punk, I can't get to him, it's like his blocking me and I'm worried," Torrie told Ashley. Ashley turned to her, "Maybe he's jealous, suddenly you start seeing this guy that is very similar to Punk... and boom, he feels replaced and the jealousy comes," Ashley suggested.

Torrie shook her head, "No, I don't think so! We're friends and that's been established, I think it's deeper and I need to know what it is," Torrie said.

 _ **Romance doesn't bring friends together- Torrie loved the cheesy over the top kind of romance, while Ashley loved the artistic type of romance you don't even realize is considered romance. But love always brings friends together, it's a topic we all connect to.**_

"Maybe he's on his man period... it's possible, anything is possible! For example, I met a guy who is a little hoe for romance... and nothing else," Ashley explained to Torrie. "It's nice when he compliments me and I love the restaurants he takes me to... but him telling me that we aren't going anywhere outside of the romance bubble just ruins it all, it's like I already know the ending to the book," Ashley conveyed her fears.

Torrie turned to her and stared at her, she tilted her head and gave a faint smile. "I know you think I'm probably going to tell you that you should believe something could happen... but a 'no' came straight from his mouth, don't waste your time, believe me sweetie," Torrie advised her advised friend.

 _ **Ashley got distracted by a couple that was sitting on the bench, both reading the same book while holding hands. No talking or kissing, just sitting in a silence that seemed to be so full of something... love.**_

Torrie waved her hand in front of Ashley, "Hello," she said. Ashley snapped out of it and nodded, "You're right, I can't let another guy screw me over and I can't just stand there watching him do it," Ashley finally answered her own question.

"Wait, if Punk never wanted a relationship or any of that love crap... then why'd you waste your time with him and why do you continue to try with him," Ashley curiously asked.

Torrie turned to her, "Because I love him and because I care about him. He's a great friend, a loyal amazing friend," Torrie explained to Ashley. Ashley understood, "So he's like a dog, 'a man's best loyal friend'," Ashley teased as they continued walking.

 _ **It turns out the daydreamer preferred real love over movie-like romance too.**_

* * *

Candice sat by the entrance of the _JFK_ airport in Queens, with her head leaned against the wall as she stared out through the window in front of her. "Well, I lost my son," Candice cried out to herself with her shaking hands in between her thighs.

Cody slowly approached Candice, "Hey, I'm sorry," he whispered to her. "It's only for three months, you'll see him again," Cody promised her. Candice turned to him and she squinted her eyes as if she were looking for what the man was trying to tell her, from a young actor/dancer to a mother.

"You don't understand Cody! Three months is fine, but I know he'll then leave for an entire school year and then again and again, he'll then leave to college and that's the end for me... I'll be some old lonely woman," Candice explained to him.

"You won't be alone, I'll be there," he told her. Candice shook her head, "I don't think so. You were an amazing transition from my miserable marriage to my equally miserable single life, and I appreciate you being there during that time, but I need a new transition and I don't see you being a part of it honey... I'm sorry," Candice told him, getting up to dismiss herself.

 _ **Candice wasn't a fan of romance, she left it all on the table and walked away.**_

"You were an interesting woman Candice, see you around," he said one last time as he watched her walk away from him and what they had. And Candice never looked back.

* * *

"I'm home," Michelle exclaimed as she walked in. The living room was quite, with some random TV show playing in the background, and a lovely man lying on the couch asleep. Michelle smiled the second she saw him.

 _ **He was a cute sleeper.**_

Michelle put the Chinese food on the kitchen table. She hurried to their room and got a blanket to put over Jack. She picked up her Chicken Lo-Mein and started eating in the living room, a few feet directly away from Jack's sleeping body.

She ate her Lo-Mein while staring at his face, "Love," she whispered to herself as she continued eating.

 _ **The night was not romantic by any means, some might say it was a little creepy... but it definitely was a night of love. I came to the conclusion that 'Love' and 'Romance' are not sisters, if anything they're merely second cousins to each other.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Alberto Del Rio, Wade Barrett, CM Punk, Mark Calaway, Brooklyn Barrett, Cody Rhodes, and Jack Swagger.**

 **Published On April 7, 2016.**


	4. Jump

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 4: Jump**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **Candice no longer had Brooklyn by her side, she broke up with Cody, and everything felt familiar to when she was first divorced. Except Candice wasn't going to pretend everything was alright, only to fall in a dark hole later on. She was instead going to take those two phases and party with them.**_

"Oh gosh, I'm in love with this place! I can see it already, a grand Hampton's Beach House Party," Candice raved about to herself, while exploring the rooms. "I would love to rent it for tonight, I'm throwing a little welcoming summer party and I would love to rent this place out for the night!"

He nodded, but didn't really understand. "Just for one night," he asked. "Summer hasn't even started, it's still technically Spring mam," he reminded her.

She took off her sunglasses and turned to him, "My son left for 'summer school' and I argued the same point! But apparently the young kids celebrate Summer early nowadays, so yeah I'd like to rent this place for a Summer party I'm throwing tonight," she asserted herself with a strong confident tone.

 _ **Situations are like boats that come and go, some being very similar to one another. But if you've learned from the past ones, they won't be so intimidating when they come again and you'll know how to sail them a little differently... in this case Candice was going to take a swim right near the boat.**_

"Okay, well, I'll leave you a key and you can write me a check right now," the owner of the house told Candice. Candice took off her blouse and she began unbuttoning her wash ripped jeans, "Why don't you first join me for a little dip in the pool," Candice teased. She dived into the backyard Hampton's pool and he just watched.

He shrugged and joined her a couple minutes later, Candice wrote him a check later and the party was set for the night. A Hampton's style party.

* * *

 _ **Mark called me for a 'crisis' he was having, so I met him for some coffee.**_

Mark had a clumsy way of searching for Michelle in the coffee place, he stumbled into the cozy place and searched around. "Hey, over here," Michelle waved from the stool she was sitting on.

"I can't do it, Victoria is practically grabbing my life by the balls and taking control," Mark abruptly told her, skipping from the 'hello' straight to the point.

Michelle giggled, but he was being serious and it took her a second to get on the same page. "I thought you loved her and your daughter, and that you would stay with them and work whatever came your way," Michelle reminded him.

Mark shrugged and put his hands around his head, "It's getting to be too much Michelle," Mark tried explaining. "I mean she's always been that controlling type of person, I just thought she'd grow out of it and that once the baby came she would drop that whole part of herself," Mark admitted.

 _ **Mark just never knew when to jump.**_

"Well, you said it yourself! You always knew she was that way, yet you chose her and now you have to just keep loving her," Michelle tried reassuring Mark.

Mark shrugged, "Well you always told me that Jack was the jealous type... yet you ended up with him more than a decade later, so of course you would believe that," Mark told her.

"You know what Mark, I don't know what to tell you and I need time to work on my own relationship, so figure it out," Michelle told him. She got up and walked away with her coffee in her hand.

* * *

The four women were sitting for their routine brunch, but Michelle was about to end that.

"I need time to work on my marriage," Michelle told the three women. "So, what I'm trying to say is that I probably won't be able to join you all for our regular brunches anymore, at least for a while," Michelle explained to them.

They all turned to her in confusion, "Well you're already taking time to yourself, we haven't sat with you for brunch in weeks," Ashley jokingly teased. "It's bullshit, but I understand... you need time to adjust to your new life as a busy married woman and out of all of us, I really understand... no offense," Candice added.

Torrie nodded, "One day I'll understand too, so not offend! But I agree, you have to find ways to make it work, it's a marriage after all," Torrie said. Ashley raised her finger, "Oh and if I didn't make it clear enough, I'm also okay with it," Ashley reassured Michelle.

 _ **So I jumped and my friends watched, all very understanding of what had to be done.**_

Candice turned away from the table for a second, "Hey girl, I called but you didn't answer, but now that I have you on I'd like to invite you to a party I'm throwing at the Hampton's, you're invited," Candice said to her friend through the phone.

Candice hung up and turned back to the table, "That's right, I'm throwing a Hampton's party at a beach house I rented, you're all invited... Michelle I don't expect you to go, but Ashley and Torrie you better go," Candice demanded from them.

"I'll try going," Torrie replied. "I'm really worried about Punk though and it's like he's purposely trying to make me feel bad for him. Corey hasn't had a proper date with me in weeks, so it'll be fun going with him," Torrie told them.

"Honey, maybe he's jealous," Michelle suggested. "I've said that since the beginning, Corey and Punk are like fucking twins, Punk probably wants to be the dominate one," Ashley explained.

Torrie brushed it off, "No, it's more than that and I'm worried," Torrie told them.

"What about you Ashley," Candice turned her attention to Ashley. "Well I've fallen for a gay man and for many heterosexual men that weren't into me, and ironically now I'm adding an asexual man to that list," Ashley responded. The women quickly got the hint.

 _ **It was a cycle, maybe it was time for all of us to jump. Same problems, same ways of handling them.**_

Candice was disappointed in them. "Well, whatever it is you all we be dwelling on, my party in the Hampton's is happening tonight, so be there," Candice exclaimed.

* * *

It took Torrie many hours to perfect her Summer chic 'relaxed' look for the party, she stepped out to see if she did feel like Summer and she did. Torrie looked across from her doorstep and watched Punk with many boxes that contained his things.

Punk put the box down on the sidewalk, he saw Torrie from across the street. He could see her figure standing by the door, with the sun shadowing her to look like a lost stranger he never knew. Torrie looked away and instead searched for the cab with Corey in it. She searched for it, but instead caught Punk staring at her from his side of the sidewalk.

Torrie waved, it was nice to see him dressed and out enjoying the City's rare warm sun. "What are the boxes for," she asked from her side of the street.

Punk couldn't really hear her, but he could see her pointing to the boxes. He motioned to the boxes, "I'm moving, to Chicago," he responded and then walked back into his place.

 _ **Even if she crossed the street to him or if he went to her, they still wouldn't understand each other. Punk was lost and Torrie was trying to find him, but even with the afternoon sunshine outside, it was all too dark for anybody to try.**_

"Moving away," she uttered to herself, with a question lingering in the air. Torrie hesitated for a while, but she finally made up her mind to yet again run across the street to him.

 _ **Torrie just couldn't jump from 'it', she had to run towards 'it'.**_

* * *

 ** _After taking some time off from my friends, I headed for my first cooking class. The class was on the little corner of 158 Grand Street._**

The class was mostly filled with young people trying to get college credit, Michelle was probably the oldest person there. "Who are you cooking for," the instructor asked Michelle, trying to make small talk with her.

"My husband and I, it's time I learn how to cook a dish and I want to bake too," Michelle replied. The instructor smiled and went back to the entire class, "Let's start!"

She took the flower in the bag and poured just enough in the bowl, she waited for the others to follow what seemed to be such an easy task... but it wasn't. Michelle poured the bag upside down, not expecting the flour to come rushing out in a bunch, "Oh crap," Michelle whispered to herself as the white powder of the flower blew up into her face and hair.

"That's a little to much dear," the instructor stated the obvious.

Michelle grabbed a handful of the flour and forcibly shoved it back into the bag, while the entire classroom watched her. "Okay, no big deal," Michelle told them all off, ignoring the rest of the flour that was all over her and her area.

 _ **I envisioned my cake having a pretty flower on top of it, but the actual 'flour' that went into the cake was being an asshole.**_

"Moving on," the instructor continued on. "We will be cracking two eggs, this can be a tricky task, but you'll eventually get a hang of it," she warned them. The instructor showed them, step by step, she then watched them as they all attempted.

Michelle had anxiety just holding the egg, she softly held it in her hand, but before she could even bring her hand down the egg cracked right in her bare hand. "Fuck," she said under her breath. Her hand was covered with the mixture of flower and egg yolk at that point.

The instructor tried holding it in, but she couldn't help and laugh. "That's a first! My students usually end up cracking the egg with the surface they are trying to crack the egg on," she teased.

Michelle nodded and smiled like a fool for her. "No, really," Michelle responded with the flower all over her and an egg yolk running down her arm.

* * *

 ** _Although Ashley made it clear Alberto wasn't into her the same way, she insisted on bringing him as a date. She just couldn't jump off._**

The place was packed with people, all of them had some type of story with the person they were conversing with. Even the college frats that crashed the party had some type of story with the women they were trying to sleep with, but Ashley didn't feel she had that story with Alberto.

"Would you ever consider to venture further past romance and into a relationship, with real complex and not always perfect feelings," Ashley dared to ask Alberto. Alberto took one last sip of his drink and then put it down, "Come on, follow me," he said mysteriously as he walked through the disco-lit living room, which was crowded with sweaty bodies, to the back door of the beach-house. Ashley followed and the two walked past the backyard, which was a little more mellow, but still reeked of party wildness. He opened the wooden door near the steps that lead down to the beach, Ashley continued following. "What are we doing," Ashley asked.

He finally turned to her when they were standing on the sandy night beach, "To answer your question, no," he finally replied. "But isn't this nice, this beach," Alberto poetically said about the beach. "We might not ever have feelings or love, but romance is just enough to keep it interesting," Alberto explained to her.

 _ **That's when Ashley realized that she was the confusing one. He was making himself very clear, while she was somehow still holding onto something that never existed.**_

Ashley really wanted something, but she finally found her way out of that foggy environment she allowed herself to stay in. "It's not enough actually, goodbye Alberto," Ashley told him.

"It's a shame _bonita_ , I wouldn't have minded spending a little extra time with you, you're exciting and the romance just never dies with you," Alberto explained to her.

Ashley turned to him, "That's why I have to go, I can't keep wasting my time on men who never had feelings for me in the first place and who will probably never have feelings for me," Ashley explained her motives.

 _ **Ashley finally jumped. She jumped from 'Alberto Del Rio' to 'el Ocean' that night.**_

Alberto was long gone by the time Ashley took off her shirt to fall back into the chilly ocean. Alberto looked back once from the top of the backyard wooden stair-steps, he watched as Ashley splashed the water all around her. "What a _loca chica_ ," he said and then turned around forever.

The strong waves crashed into Ashley, she felt the freshness of the cold water and she loved the feeling of finally letting go.

* * *

 _ **The night was nearly over and Candice's party was slowly dying out.**_

Candice went to the bar for another drink, but the bartender left with some other needy woman that night. "You asshole, I was paying you to fuck me over," Candice grunted as she stumbled away to the nearest room.

She opened the door hoping for some sleeping, but a couple used the bed for the complete opposite. They were awake and fully into themselves, "Oh get a room... a room that you payed for, because I'm not paying for you to get fucked tonight," Candice yelled at the couple, both whom rushed for their clothes. They ran out and the remaining guests all stared at Candice.

"Everybody leave! It was fabulous having you all, most of you I don't know, but this party is over," Candice dismissed them all with a bold confidence, despite the fact that she was wasted.

 _ **Candice ended the night on a high note, instead of letting the night get the best of her like all those other times.**_

'The hostess with the mostest' took a break for a couple of hours, it was midnight and she was still awake. She held the phone in her hand as she sat on the couch, missing her son and hoping her old life would call her back.

Candice wiped her tears and she opened the backdoor, the night was pitch black, but the pool was crystal clear blue. Their was a smoky night smell in the air and the winds of the Hampton's were singing some kind of song, she took off her robe and dived straight into the pool.

The forty year old woman swam in the pool, restless yet tired, free yet trapped, but definitely broken. The moon reflected on the water beautifully. She spun herself around in the gleaming pool, and the night sent her onto the next day.

 _ **Candice stayed in the pool for about an hour, she finally went to sleep at three A.M... not in the pool of course.**_

* * *

Torrie couldn't sleep that night either, so she grabbed her nearest jacket and rushed across the street to Punk. She knocked, hard, no matter how annoyed he got, she wouldn't leave until he'd open the door for her.

"I'm worried and I'm your friend, so I'm here to be by your side," Torrie stated, without even letting him say a word. She went into his empty place, the television was on, but it was muted. Torrie turned to him abruptly and she hugged him tight.

Punk sat by the window, where the couch used to be. He rested his back against the wall, Torrie joined by his side and she sat there by him.

 _ **Torrie did the opposite of jumping, she rested and embraced the uncontrollable storm.**_

Torrie leaned her head on Punk's shoulder, ironically, he was leaning on her in a time of need. The two stayed silent, Torrie had a lot to say and she wanted answers, but it was best to just let the empty silence fill up the room.

The night was everything, the shadows aligned dramatically in the living room and the city's late night taxi cabs could be heard from a mile away.

 _ **Torrie and Corey broke up that night, she cancelled on him and they finally broke it off. The night faded and Torrie ended up falling asleep on the floor, next to Punk, whom hadn't been sleeping in days until that night.**_

* * *

Michelle woke up extra early to go to her cooking class, she wanted to avoid the fellow students that witnessed her embarrassing cake failure the previous day.

"Michelle, you showed up, I thought you would never want to come back," the teacher teased. Michelle giggled, but inside she was yelling 'Fuck you'.

The class wasn't as full, only four students were present. "Okay, welcome everybody! We will be making salsa today," she told the class.

 _ **I was prepared for sweet after the whole cake fiasco, but this bitch changed it to spicy.**_

Michelle added the spices she thought would blend nicely, she even added a small touch of avocado. "Now blend it together," the teacher told them as she poured out some tortilla chips into a bowl. Without thinking about it, Michelle pressed the button on the blender and everything came exploding out.

"Holy fuck," Michelle panicked as the salsa went off like a sprinkler, but in a more violent way. People were covering their eyes and the ugly noise the blender was making wasn't helping. "Michelle turn it off!"

"My eyes," a student in the back yelled. The salsa was burning in her eyes, but nobody was sued.

 _ **I never jumped, I was pushed off. Despite my efforts, I was forced off the cliff.**_

"Michelle, get out," the teacher yelled. "I'm sorry, but you are terrible, who forgets to put the top on the blender, what kind of grown woman cracks an egg in her hand," she went off on Michelle. Michelle wanted to fight back, but she walked away.

 _ **I never went back to that cooking class.**_

* * *

 _ **It was something about the morning, who knows what it was? But it was an angry-free morning. Ashley woke up feeling light and warm like the Spring day outside.**_

She made her cup of coffee, played some peaceful folk rock, ate her bagel, and began painting a calming sunrise. Ashley was considering going to her therapist about the Alberto dump, but she skipped and instead danced around to some good old folk rock.

She wore a little flower dress, which was not something Ashley would usually wear, but she wore it and she used the oranges and yellows in her palette more than any other color that morning, which was also not like Ashley.

 _ **Part of jumping is knowing how to handle the fall differently. If you usually cry and get angry, throw a party instead, eat a cake... if you can't bake a cake, then eat white rice and salmon or buy the damn cake and order it in a flavor you wouldn't usually order.**_

* * *

 _ **Which is what I did. I taught myself how to cook white rice and salmon that day, it took me a few tries and the internet sure helped, but it was my first fully self-cooked meal.**_

Jack walked through the door, smiling at the smell. He kissed Michelle and then sat for his meal, Michelle served herself and then looked at him with a tilted head. He laughed and got up to serve himself, "Damn, this looks good," he said. Jack sat down, he tasted it for a second and closed his eyes. The flavors were running inside his mouth and he liked it.

Michelle awaited for a review... "This is bomb! Woah, you're like a legit chef," he complimented her.

 _ **I might have been pushed from that class, but I landed on my feet and walked a couple blocks to my apartment and I taught myself. I continued walking this new married life of mine and Jack was right there waiting for me- to jump or to not jump, with meal prepared or with takeout.**_

The two continued eating their dinner, talking about their day, and just enjoying the sacred moment.

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Mark Calaway, CM Punk, Alberto Del Rio, and Jack Swagger.**

 **Published On April 17, 2016.**


	5. Jersey, No Thank You

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 5: Jersey, No Thank You**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 ** _Thousands of cities exist, but there is only one New York._**

New York was the capital for fashion and therefore Michelle felt at home, but a salesman like Jack was 'important' in every state and part of the world. Michelle was in her small, yet expensive, typical Manhattan apartment lounging and feeling so right... until.

"They're relocating me to New Jersey," Jack excitedly announced to his wife, but he didn't get the same energy from Michelle.

Michelle was caught by surprise, she didn't know how to react. "Why," she just asked. Jack chuckled and he grabbed her hands as to give her some type of promise, "Better pay and the job is way more secure Michelle... basically if I don't go, I'll be unemployed," Jack explained to her.

"But you'll be unemployed in the Big Apple," Michelle jokingly teased. She then shook her head, "But seriously, this is all seems kind of abrupt," she admitted.

 _ **New Jersey is like the pretty, innocent sister of New York... but with a boring style and with a traditional view on life. In no hell way was I planning to move there.**_

"Of course it's abrupt, but the deal is one I can't turn down and I won't," Jack told her. "So pack yo' bags girl," he exclaimed as he picked up his jacket and scarf. "I'll be going out with some co-workers, I won't be seeing them anymore and I wanted to celebrate with em one last time."

Jack left, he was on top of the world and the top of the world to him was New Jersey. Michelle watched him from the living room window, she was far from happy... but he was happy and maybe that was enough? Except it wasn't, Michelle was at crossroads.

* * *

Ashley and Candice had just finished their daily morning workout. Ashley was enjoying her strawberry smoothie at Candice's place, she was going through the pages of _Hampton's Magazine_ carelessly, when she came across a picture of Candice. "Holy shit fuck, Candice you're in here," Ashley said to Candice.

Candice put her smoothie down and rushed to her from her side of the table, "Oh my god, they got my good angle," Candice uttered. "The article is about my party, my Hampton's beach house party, hell yeah," Candice exclaimed as she snatched the magazine for a closer look.

 _ **Candice's party was a hit... as in it hit Candice in the head and she couldn't clearly remember. But the magazine definitely remembered the party and according to the article, "it was an epic preview of what Summer had to offer".**_

"You're like famous... locally," Ashley teased. Candice turned to her, "I'm fine with locally, because 'locally' is Hampton's and Hampton's is a summer oasis," Candice notified her. Her eyes shifting back to continue reading the article on her party.

Candice quickly picked up her phone and began dialing the home owner. "Hello, yeah, this is Candice, Candice Michelle! I rented your beach house a week ago or so, well, I would love to rent it for an entire month," Candice declared to the man through the phone.

 _ **Like any human that cares about fellow human beings, when a party is good, don't stop it. And Candice was a good human citizen.**_

Ashley slurped from her straw, she watched as Candice did her 'philanthropy' work. "Get ready to party your ass off and you're lucky you know me, you get VIP," Candice promised.

"And your smoothie, thank you very much," Ashley jokingly replied as she poured Candice's smoothie into her cup.

* * *

 ** _Nobody ever truly get's tired of the city, they just give up. Life catches up and they feel too weak to carry on in the most fast-paced city, Punk was one of those walking dead-men._**

Torrie kept her distance from Punk for a couple of days now. He closed the doors on her and she learned that it was best to just give her friend some space, but she had finally worked the courage to check up on him again.

"Knock knock," Torrie exclaimed, opening the unlocked door to Punk's apartment. Punk looked up in confusion, the tears in his eyes made it harder for him to see.

Torrie froze. He wiped his tears away and instantly became aggravated. "Torrie, what the hell are you doing! Don't just walk into my apartment like that," Punk yelled at her. He walked to her and showed her to the door. While he threw her out, he kept his face down in shame.

Torrie was shocked that he was crying, now she was really worried for him. "Punk, if you wanna talk... and I know you don't, but maybe I can just sit by your side like the other night," Torrie suggested. She attempted to put her hand on his shoulder, but Punk stepped away.

"Leave, leave now Torrie and stop bothering me," he yelled at his friend. Torrie was used to him yelling at her to leave, so it didn't phase her anymore.

"Okay, but something's wrong and that's all I need to know Punk... I will never stop bothering you now that I know," she let him know as she walked away.

 _ **Torrie was from Staten Island and those Staten Island babes have to cross some waters in a Ferry to get to the real city... what I'm trying to say is that those Staten Island girls never give up.**_

* * *

 _ **Later that day I called up my girls for an 'emergency brunch', which meant we all had to rush no matter what. We made the pact years ago when Ashley thought she met her future husband and called us to ask if she should propose... well that never happened, but our 'emergency brunches' have lived on ever since.**_

Candice dropped her party planning agenda, Torrie and Ashley took a cab together in a rush. While Michelle waited on the same old table of their favorite diner. "What's the emergency," Candice asked nervously.

Michelle waited until Torrie and Ashley joined them at the table too, "Jack wants me to move with him to New Jersey," Michelle announced to them. They all gasped, it was a shock and an extreme call for the emergency brunch.

"Like New Jersey, New Jersey," Candice asked, mortified with the idea. "I mean, New Jersey made Bruce Springsteen and he's 'the boss'... but it's a fact that you can only be cool if you were raised in New Jersey, not if you move there in the middle of your life because your husband is being relocated there... no offense," Ashley said.

 _ **It wasn't a 911 emergency call, but it was a 212 emergency call (As in I risked the chances of leaving the 212 area code).**_

"Well, New Jersey is nice! It's calm and mellow, I like the community feeling of it," Torrie tried reassuring Michelle. Michelle turned her head away and shook it. "It's fine, you don't have to try! I already know that I don't want to move there... but Jack's job is moving him there and as his partner I basically have to move with him," Michelle explained, with her hand on her forehead.

"No you fucking don't! It's his job, not your's," Candice told her. "New Jersey isn't that far away honey, I'm pretty sure that new job of his will pay him enough to come and visit!"

Ashley quickly jumped in too, "I agree with Candice, don't move," she advised Michelle. "You already gave up so much for him and we were okay with some of the sacrifices... but come on, moving to another state!"

Torrie quietly nodded in agreement, "Yeah, honestly... I hate New Jersey too... don't move," Torrie admitted.

 _ **You couldn't take me out of this city if you tried. I would maybe go along, but my friends would never let a man take me away.**_

"Okay, Michelle you need to take that stress off of your back! So come to my pre-party, all of you need to come this time," Candice told them. "Her Hampton's party was featured on some local Hampton's magazine, which is why Candice is throwing a 'pre-party'... for the party," Ashley explained to Torrie and Michelle.

"That's right, my parties are the hot topic," Candice exclaimed. "I'll go," Michelle said. "Well, I'm already going," Ashley added.

Torrie looked at them and then abruptly told them, "I saw Punk crying today." They all turned to her, shocked. "I walked into his apartment and he was crying, he yelled at me to leave... he probably wouldn't want me telling you guys, but who else am I supposed to talk about it with," Torrie explained to them.

"You only have to know one little fact," Michelle whispered to Torrie. "Men push, women pull," Michelle got right to the point and Torrie had an 'aha' moment.

* * *

 ** _You're allowed to give up on a City, even if it's'the City', but you can never give up on friends._**

Torrie had eased her mind with some television and cookie dough, when suddenly she heard two knocks on her door. They weren't just any knocks, they sounded familiar- they were rough knocks that were trying their best to come off as soft.

She opened the door to see vulnerable Punk standing in front of her. "I'm sorry," he said. "I have been an asshole and I'm sorry. I've been going through some fucking shit and you've just been trying to be there for me... but I keep pushing you away and somehow that makes me even more angry, because I know I need a great friend like you, yet I deprive myself from that type of close friendship," he explained.

Torrie didn't jump into hug him, but instead he did, for the first time. "Thank you, for tolerating me and sticking by," he said, while he hugged his friend tight.

 _ **And an old friend was back.**_

"I told my friends that I caught you crying earlier... so I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have," Torrie apologized. Punk laughed it off, "I deserved it, I've been a fucking jerk," Punk forgave. He forgave and it became easier to, because him and Torrie formed a friendship that was now much more real and raw.

"I'm honestly fucking starving," he told her. "Living on a cereal and scotch diet isn't so smart, what do you say we go out for some pizza."

Torrie agreed with a smile. She ran for her nearest jacket and beanie, and the two friends took off.

* * *

The evening was getting darker and that was a cue for Candice to start her pre-party. Many showed up, curious to see what the buzz was all about. Girls were wearing all types of pearls and shiny dresses, the men in casual blazers and the air was oh so smoky. The party had everything the city's nightlife had to offer, yet a dim and gloomy girl stood in a corner alone.

Ashley was that girl in the corner, a man walked towards her. Making direct eye-contact and even winking at one point, Ashley turned her head to the side and the man got the hint that she wasn't open for business.

She turned him away just like that, "Yeah, not tonight."

 _ **Every party has 'that man' and Ashley knew his moves. Even lesbians knew his moves, like the one next to Ashley.**_

"I'm impressed! You just straight up gave him the head tilt, as a lesbian I always feel like I owe them some type of explanation," the woman told Ashley. "Once you date them you begin to see how they can sometimes be assholes, so you don't really feel bad for them," Ashley explained to her.

 _ **The woman was Mickie James. She owned a party planning business and she had that Country girl attitude. She had feathers in her hair and brown boots to pair her simple jeans, but a Dior blazer to finish off the simplistic outfit.**_

"I'm Mickie by the way," Mickie introduced herself. Ashley smiled and shook her hand, "I'm Ashley."

Mickie scooted closer to Ashley and suddenly there was no longer a lonely girl in the room at some corner.

* * *

It was a jazzy night for Candice. She had purchased a new black cocktail Marc Jacobs dress and her 'pre-party' was a success worth every penny.

New guests were arriving to her penthouse, all enthusiastic about the party's hype. The classy music was playing smoothly and the food was amazing- shrimp and cocktails. The guests were having a fabulous time- whispering and laughing on a night that seemed to be theirs.

 _ **Candice was the 'it girl'. Put in her whatever City, and she would still manage to become the 'it-girl'.**_

"What an amazing party, Mrs. Michelle," a fellow party-comer told Candice. "To die for darling, I told all my friends and they can't wait for your big upcoming party," the flamboyant man raved to Candice.

Candice turned to the two, "Well thank you, it's just a pre-party... the real deal is this weekend, hope to see you there," Candice teased them as she walked away.

Another social-climbing woman ran up to Candice the second she saw her, "Loving the dress, it totally fits the pre-party vibe," she complimented Candice. Candice smiled and walked away for another drink.

 ** _Glamorized_** _ **or scrutinized, Candice was always rocking the look and she always seemed to come on top of it all. Currently, she definitely had the crown and she was reigning as queen-bee.**_

* * *

 _ **Ashley was ready to end the night, but a true woman would never let another fellow woman kill the night so prematurely. They don't call it the 'nightlife' for nothing.**_

Mickie walked away and Ashley was left by the same corner Mickie found her in. Mickie turned away for a second, but then ran back for the lonesome Ashley. "You should come with me to an art gallery opening, all my friends are coming and I want you to join us," Mickie invited Ashley.

Ashley hesitated for a while, "No, I'm just gonna go home after this... but thank you," Ashley turned her invitation down. Ashley already had her bed in mind and she was already envisioning washing her face and brushing her teeth... but it wouldn't kill her to try something new.

 _ **Ashley took a leap of faith... into the lady pond. She wanted to change it up and Mickie looked like a fun girl.**_

Mickie stared at her for another few seconds, hoping she could change her mind with just a look. "Come on," Mickie nudged.

Ashley shook her head and laughed, "Okay, why not," she finally gave in. "I'm actually an artist, so you had me at 'art gallery'," Ashley admitted.

Mickie turned to her and winked, "I know, that's why I invited you," Mickie told her. Mickie and her took a cab, where they met up with Mickie's other friends in Lower Manhattan.

 _ **Ashley described the night as 'unforgettable'. That's the thing about New York, right when you think it's done, it comes right back with something new.**_

* * *

Not everybody was having that glitzy type of night, Torrie was a no-show to Candice's pre-party. She spent her afternoon helping Punk pack his last few boxes for Chicago. The two spent the afternoon talking and laughing, reminiscing on some good old memories.

The two were starving by the time they left Punk's apartment all empty and blank, yet so full of nostalgia. They went for some pizza at _Nick's Pizza_ , which is where they had their first miserable date and now they were there as friends.

"You're gonna miss New York! No other city has a pizza place open at midnight, just saying," Torrie told him as the two sat with their slices of greasy pizza.

Punk wiped away the grease and laughed. "Yes, and I won't be able to fucking order food at any time of the day or turn a corner and find the food I was craving," Punk admitted. "But I have to leave, trust me."

The little pizza place was all silent for a while. The two were alone in there and the little yellow light bulbs in the place stood no chance with the city lights that reflected in the windows.

Punk finally broke the silence. "I wasn't going to tell you, but I've been the way I've been for the past few weeks because my mother has died and it's been hard on me," Punk finally opened up. "I'm moving to Chicago to take care of my sisters, they're young grieving twenty year olds and they need me," Punk explained to his best friend. Torrie was left breathless, she hugged him and felt the wall come down. He dropped his shoulders and let himself be open to vulnerability.

 ** _Chicago might be the city of the strong winds, but New York is the city where the winds are unpredictable. A tattooed weed-smoker being best friends with a sweet Staten Island girl, you would never expect it, only in this City. But it sure was a true friendship- it had vulnerability and there ain't nothing more true than vulnerability._**

* * *

 _ **It was a long night for us City girls, but I wouldn't want to have it any other way. A fabulous party that reflected the City's nightlife, followed by a long walk home to reflect the real messy part of the City.**_

Michelle walked along Park Avenue, swinging her _Dolce & Gabana_ purse and hopping over the sidewalk to cross the street. But before completing the cross, a car abruptly stopped and honked at her. "Hey, watch it," the man inside the car yelled at Michelle.

Michelle ran past the car and ignored the man. She continued walking, wondering if New Jersey had the same roughness and edge New York did.

 _ **New York wasn't easy, but that's why I loved it. It brought a sense of pride.**_

She had all these thoughts and questions, mostly all relating to fear. She loved her husband and she knew she had a great man waiting for her at home... but the City was her true love and home. Michelle stopped by a Cupcake shop and picked up a midnight snack, she then grabbed a copy of _Vogue_ from the nearest Bodega and carried on.

Michelle didn't second think while crossing the street so carelessly, it was just a part of her nature. Like the City's midnight air, which was always fully alive.

 _ **It was no longer a question of staying or going, but of how I was going to tell my husband that I wasn't moving with him.**_

A young group of socialites walked by Michelle, heading for another open club. Following them was a businessman heading for a late-night meeting. The traffic was still every now and then, but the lights never dimmed, not even for a second.

 _ **This noisy, harsh, exciting City was my baby. Maybe I was crazy, or maybe I was just a New Yorker in love with the city. Sorry Jersey.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Jack Swagger, CM Punk, and Mickie James.**

 **Published On April 30, 2016.**


	6. My Mouth, My Words, My Life

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 6: My Mouth, My Words, My Life**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **Once in a while, all four of us liked to meet up for an extra early 'brunch'... which some would just call breakfast, but it was always truly brunch for us. Why? Because we like brunch.**_

Ashley had been seeing Mickie for the past few days, she wasn't hiding it, but she also wasn't sharing it with the world. The second Ashley sat down, all three girls turned to her, waiting...

Ashley threw her arms in the air, "Yes, I'm having a fling with a woman," Ashley finally revealed.

They waited for more, "That's nice... but are you two officially dating," Michelle asked. "Yeah, honey this is 2016... we're not shocked, we would however be shocked if you were finally not single... no offense," Candice told Ashley.

 _ **Ashley hadn't been in a relationship in nearly a decade.**_

"'Haha', very funny... but no, we're not officially dating," Ashley responded. "I'd so love to see you in a relationship, it'd be so cute," Torrie added.

Candice handed them a pamphlet for her party that night, "Ashley bring her, Torrie you've missed all my parties, and Michelle-" but Candice was interrupted. Michelle stuck her hand out, "I haven't told Jack that I won't be moving with him, I don't think he'd like me to go partying after I tell him and you do want me to get in trouble, do you," Michelle defended her absence from the party.

"Fair enough, but out of curiosity, how do you plan on telling him," Candice asked. Michelle closed her eyes and put her hands over her face, "That's what I've been going over my head for the past few days! I feel like I'm America and I'm telling the Soviet's that I don't like their country and don't want to move there... it's very scary and critical to my marriage," Michelle told them all fearfully.

 _ **It really did feel like a Cold War.**_

* * *

 _ **For Torrie, the war had always been about finding her true love and finding her true identity in the world.**_

In the mornings, Torrie sometimes liked to take a walk around in Central Park. She loved the positive environment, there was something in the air that made her feel so lovely and peaceful. She was walking with cherry blossoms on her shoulders, when suddenly she came across an ex-boyfriend of hers- Brock.

The two had made eye-contact from about ten feet away already. They didn't smile or wave, but instead cautiously made their way to one another. "Hey, how have you been," Brock was the first one to ask.

"Great, nothing too new I suppose," Torrie responded. Brock wasn't surprised with her response, "I'm guessing you're still on your mission to find your soulmate," Brock asked.

Torrie chuckled, "I've always been looking for my soulmate, and always will be... aren't we all," Torrie turned the question back around sweetly, which he always misunderstood for naive.

 _ **The truth was Torrie's career was at it's peak. She was not only a writer for Elle, but also working on a book. So "nothing too new" wasn't the best answer.**_

Brock was about to ask her out, when Torrie's cellphone began to ring. "Gotta take this," she excused herself. _"Torrie, meet me tonight for an important meeting! One that could change your career, I have no time to discuss it now, but trust me you won't want to miss the meeting,"_ Torrie's publisher notified her.

"Wow, okay, I'll be there," Torrie exclaimed. He hung up and she turned to him, "Sorry, that was my publisher with some exciting promise," Torrie told Brock.

Brock smiled, but he didn't believe her one bit. "I was about to ask you out on a date, were you trying to get yourself out of it," he asked doubtfully. She laughed and put her hand on his arm, "No, I swear, it was my publisher," she insisted.

"Sure," he played along. "Anyway, if you're free tonight, I'd like to have dinner with you," Brock suggested and she smiled along.

 _ **She sure smiled, but one question was still bothering her. Why couldn't he believe that she had a life outside of him and men in general? That she actually had a career?**_

* * *

Michelle was still figuring out a way to tell her beloved husband that she was not going to accompany him to New Jersey. She thought a nice home-cooked meal would make the decline to move easier. So that same day, she rushed to the nearest Bodega to pick up some quick ingredients.

She was going for her signature style dish- Salmon and white rice, with smoked vegetables on the side. While going through the petite bodega, Michelle just barely brushed past her ex-boyfriend. The two didn't notice each other and carried on with their rushed shopping.

Michelle payed for her items and headed out, but she wasn't getting away that easy. "Michelle," a man yelled from behind her. Michelle turned around and there he was, Christian, her ex-boyfriend.

 _ **It looks like Torrie wasn't the only one running into an ex that day.**_

"Hey, what are you doing here," Michelle asked her former lover, whom had no idea she was married... until he spotted the ring. "You're married," he asked.

Michelle nodded and laughed like it was nothing, "Ahh, so you see the ring," Michelle jokingly responded. "I'm guessing you're running home to cook a meal for you and the hubby," Christian proceeded to ask.

She nodded again, "Yes, I can cook now... well one dish really, but I'm picking up on more recipes and... it's nice... enough," Michelle told him all about. Christian did not believe her, not even one bit, he could see right through her transparent wall.

"I can tell, you sure look excited to start cooking for a man," Christian added. Michelle wanted to roll her eyes, but she just shook her head and faintly laughed. "Well, for him and me, a girl's gotta eat" she checked him.

 _ **I wasn't going to also tell him that this man I married was trying to drag me to another state. He couldn't see my independence, but I had it... somewhere.**_

"It's funny how we both ended up. I wanted kids and I wanted to settle down, but you didn't," Christian reminded her. "You wanted adventure and fun... yet you're married and I'm the one with the adventure now, I'm actually heading to a club where foam falls from the ceiling."

Michelle froze, she didn't know what to say. Everything he was bringing up from the past was making her do some serious questioning. "Cool, well, I have to get back to my life... so goodbye and enjoy your little club thingy," Michelle dismissed herself abruptly.

She quickly got herself away from there. Swinging her purse and shopping bags with all her will. She felt his eyes pierced on her from the little bodega, judging her and feeling better about his own 'adventurous' life.

* * *

Ashley and Mickie were more than just 'friends', they never went on 'dates' or anything, but it was obvious to everybody around them how much they liked to flirt with each other. Dolph attempted to set up a 'double gay date', but Ashley turned him down because she wasn't really sure what she had with Mickie.

 _ **She was too shy to ask Mickie what they were.**_

"Hey girl, what are we doing tonight," Mickie asked the second she showed up to Ashley's doorstep. Ashley shrugged, "Nothing," Ashley replied. She could see the bored look on Mickie's face, so she chuckled and gave her another answer. "Just kidding, we are going on a double date with my friend and his boyfriend," Ashley told Mickie.

Ashley ran to get dressed and Mickie chased her around her loft- the two laughing and Ashley telling Mickie all about Dolph. The sun was beginning to set by the time they headed out the door, the dirty clouds were beginning to cover the orange sky.

 _ **It was all fun & games.**_

The two met up with Dolph and Johnny after finally leaving Ashley's loft, "Hey, finally you took on my offer," Dolph teased. The four sat down at their table, "I'm not good with cheesy couple things... like 'double dates'," Ashley admitted.

Mickie turned to her in confusion, "Woah, this is a 'date'? And I didn't know we were a 'couple'," she wondered, almost offended.

 _ **And suddenly it wasn't all fun & games.**_

The four laughed to ease the tension, but Ashley was burning up and she was beginning to regret the stupid date. "And suddenly I have to go to the bathroom," Ashley said. Ashley excused herself from the table, with her head boiling out of anger. The three watched as she rushed off.

* * *

 _ **Candice's own life was looking very pink. She wanted to start assigning themes to all of her parties, her current party was being dubbed 'Think Pink'.**_

The Hampton's all quieted down for Candice's over-the-top, pink, splashing, beach-house takeover party. Pink everywhere. A giant pink carpet led up all the way to the front doorstep, flamingos were standing by each step.

Inside the beach-house the floor was all covered in pink feathers and pink balloons were flying up into the high ceiling, even the pool was dyed pink with pink lights inside the pool giving it that radiant pop of color. Pink lights were in the bushes too, in the ceiling, and all wrapped around the palm trees- the human eye could only take so much of the shimmer.

The human mouth however, could take in a lot. The food was also all pink- chocolates, pretzels, and all types of sweets, covered in a pink, sweet coating. The drinks were all most definitely pink- pink champagne, pink margaritas, pink lemonade... the list went on.

 _ **The party was like none other, but Candice's dress stole the show. It was a Chanel cocktail dress, with ruffles on the bottom of the sides and most shockingly- it was a white eggshell color. Her hair was straightened and her body was all bronzed up for the night, with a touch of Chanel Coco on her glowing skin.**_

"This is too much... I doubt she can afford this," one of the women in the corner whispered to the other. "I know, where does she get the money... because from what I heard, it was her husband who had the money," the woman told the others in the small circle.

One of them had a breakthrough moment, "I figured it out! She has a spending problem and that's probably why her husband left her!" They all laughed, drinking from their glasses of champagne... champagne Candice bought. "I saw that dress at Barneys and it was almost like 1,000 dollars, plus look at how young her hair makes her look... that for sure cost her a lot, or maybe she had something done to her face," they chattered on and on about Candice's private expenses all throughout the night.

 _ **The truth was that Candice has never had any surgery to her face and she got her dress on discount... and as for her hair, well that was just a lucky hair day. People talk all the time, it was only natural that people with a boring life would come after somebody as fabulous as Candice.**_

* * *

Torrie was home, with all these men pulling her from three different sides. Her publisher wanted to meet up with her, an old friend was at an airport leaving the city, and an old flame wanted to charm Torrie that night.

 _ **Torrie played it safe- she wore an outfit that could casually go with whatever she would end up choosing. She was the true definition of a 'City Princess'- A 'City Princess' is a woman who has her career in front of her and a man on the side waiting for her.**_

The 'City Princess' put on a pair of slim-fit black jeans, with converse and an overcoat just to add the small touch of glamour. She curled her hair and put on a natural amount of makeup, it made her look presentable and clear... yet her actual mind was far from clear.

The three options were all taking place at the same time, it was the universe's way of testing her true desire. Alicia sneaked up on her and patted her on the back, "Don't go with what feels right... go with what feels new, and darling that would be the meeting with your publisher," Alicia reassured Torrie.

Torrie looked at her through the mirror, with a blank stare. "Punk is leaving and I never got to have that emotional goodbye with him and then Brock and I broke up for reasons I've grown past, we can really work this time," Torrie explained to Alicia.

Alicia didn't want to argue, so she faintly smiled and walked away.

 _ **It was Torrie's decision, but if a man influences a person emotionally. Is that really living your own individual life?**_

"Brock, I can't make it to our date, I have a meeting with my publisher and no, I'm not making that up," Torrie left a message on his voicemail. She then dialed Punk and did the same thing, "You were my most bestest friend, but if you taught me anything it's that I can't let a man rule my life... goodbye Punk," Torrie said her goodbye... through a voicemail.

 _ **Torrie was a changed woman, with a book soon to be out in stores. Her publisher gave her the news in that meeting and Torrie called us all yelling with excitement and determination.**_

* * *

For a while, the skies were patchy- a fading orange sky, with blotches of grey clouds beginning to show up. It began to pour, the entire city was covered in rain. Michelle usually liked warming up to Jack on rainy days, but she knew he wouldn't want to even look at her after what she was about to say to him. The dinner she cooked was prepared and warmly set on the table.

Like always, Michelle set up the table for the two. Jack poked his head out and smiled, "I will never get tired of rice and salmon, and you know that," Jack told his wife as he walked in the kitchen with a suitcase in one of his hands.

Michelle looked at the suitcase and then at him, "That's my suitcase," Michelle uttered. "What are you doing with my suitcase," she asked him with her tone going up a few notches.

 _ **And suddenly I found myself in a situation I feared ending up in- a man on top with the power, a man I loved doing something so vicious.**_

"I'm packing your things, duh, we're moving, did you forget," Jack told her with an easy-breezy attitude. Michelle felt her stomach turn and the room began to spin- seconds later food came up and out her throat.

She vomited all over the newly prepared meal- all of the food she spent cooking was now covered in her vomit. Jack didn't understand, until it hit him. "You're not moving, are you?"

Michelle shook her head as she wiped her mouth clean. Jack lost it then and there, "Michelle, we're married! You can't not move with me and stay here, I'm sorry, but life is tough and there are decisions that are tough, but come on I thought you were grown enough to drop your silly little girl obsession for this city and I thought you were grown enough to leave your little 'bffs'... you're married now and marriage is about sacrifices Michelle, sometimes life takes you in new directions and I don't think you're tough enough to try new directions," Jack argued with her.

 _ **Everything I was going to fight for he shot down. I felt powerless, more than I have ever felt.**_

"What about work," Michelle brought up. "Most of your work can be done from home and if you do need to come in person you can, it's only like forty minutes away," Jack responded.

The second he calmed down, she went in and picked up the torch of fire. "And leaving this city and my friends isn't about being a silly, little girl- it's about leaving a huge part of my life, which I care about and I'm not weak Jack, I've taken many new directions in my life... I just don't like being pushed and forced into a direction," Michelle roared at him. "The point is... it's my life Jack," she told him as she walked away.

* * *

Ashley messaged Dolph from the restroom, _"I have to go, don't say anything until I'm out of the building."_

She tiptoed out by casually sneaking past the tables on the other side of the restaurant. Dolph got the message and looked up to see her rushing out of the restaurant. Mickie caught him looking, she turned around and caught Ashley running away.

"What's going on," Mickie asked Dolph. Dolph shrugged, he really didn't know what to tell her. Mickie knew Dolph wouldn't give her an answer, so she was going to find out for herself. She got her stuff and hustled out after Ashley.

Mickie pushed the door and ran out into the rain, where Ashley was. Ashley was desperately waving her hand for a cab, Mickie took her hand and pulled her. "Why are you freaking out, is it because I'm a woman and you're scared of being with a woman," Mickie asked.

Ashley didn't want to look her in the eyes, "No, you're the one who doesn't want to be with me," Ashley helplessly responded. "I like you and I've liked many other people, all whom have been men... and they've all rejected or turned me down, I don't need that again," Ashley cried out.

The rain poured on the two, Ashley finally did look up and she saw Mickie's sorry face.

 _ **Ashley never opened up, she had her heart very locked. To whomever she desired, she somehow would always wait for them to come to her. She wanted a relationship, with someone who happened to be a woman.**_

"I want to be your girlfriend, I want us to be a couple, an exclusive couple," Ashley straightforwardly admitted. Mickie smiled and nodded while crying, "I'm sorry I was such a jerk in there," Mickie apologized. "And we're so a couple, and I am sure of that," Mickie told her.

She pulled Ashley in for a kiss, while the rain fell on them so beautifully. It was like a movie. A taxi cab quickly stopped for them, most likely a turned on cab driver, but nonetheless the cab stopped just like Ashley stopped to smell the roses.

 _ **Ashley could have been rejected right then and there, but she wasn't of course. However, unfortunately, that is a possibility and that's just how life works. It's your life and nobody can stop you from building walls, but if you want to invite people, you sometimes have to risk them hurting you in some way.**_

* * *

The rain was pouring, and unfortunately it was also pouring in the Hampton's. Despite the weather, the party kept its edge and Candice kept her cool. Although, she had a few to drink and didn't care as much as she would if she were sober.

The beach-house was packed with people, all enjoying themselves. Sweaty bodies everywhere, but sour mouths were also present. The critics were gunning after Candice's expensive dress and her drinking problems, but Candice was clueless until she overheard a little peep from a bird (a crow).

 _ **The words about Candice came out, except they weren't coming from Candice's own mouth.**_

"What's worse than her shopping addiction is her drinking problem, it's sad honestly, I feel so bad," the vile woman told her posse. Candice gasped the second she heard the unpleasant woman, even drunk she wouldn't sip any of her words and let it slide.

Candice tapped her on the shoulder, "Excuse me, but don't show up to my party and then talk shit about me! You're killing my vibe bitch," Candice told off the woman. "Now why don't you and your little friends just leave," Candice shut the dreadful group of women down.

The women were all upper-class housewives- all happily married and happily rich, with their worries revolving around keeping their husbands happy and taking their sons to soccer games. Candice and them did not mix.

The women, five, all rolled their eyes and turned around to head out. "But seriously, I feel sorry for you and you need help," the woman repeated to Candice one last time. Candice chuckled and ran in front of her, "Actually, I feel bad for you, because you don't have a life... literally, you belong to your fucking conservative lifestyle and you need less help, because your life is all uptight and controlled by your fucking husbands... oh and most importantly, I feel bad that you will never experience my parties ever again, because from now on my parties are going to be very exclusive," Candice let them know as she showed them the door.

 _ **Some might argue that Candice is living a glamorous life with all these parties, or that she might be a grieving, lonely woman. Either way, it was absolutely her life and she sure owned up to it.**_

* * *

 _ **That rainy day I was running with my life and for my life. It felt mine, yet it really wasn't if a person was causing me to do all of this.**_

The married couple cooled down in separate rooms- Jack in the bedroom and Michelle in the bathroom. She stayed in there contemplating everything, but she finally figured it'd be easier to just run away from it all. Michelle picked up her purse and added a couple of snacks for the night, she stepped outside quietly but she picked the wrong day. Michelle ran for a coat, she threw it on and she threw on a red beanie and some black finger-less gloves and off she went with her polka dot umbrella and a half-charged phone.

She ran down the black slippery staircase, almost slipping at one point. However, the rain didn't bother her one bit, not as much as the control she felt she was losing. The streets of her neighborhood were nearly empty, just a few cabs and cars passing by every now and then, with their little yellow headlights shining through the cold and silent neighborhood.

Michelle hailed the nearest open cab, which was two blocks away from her place. She ran through the cold, just to get away into the... well the cold, metaphorically speaking. "Where to," the cab driver asked Michelle.

 _ **I panicked, I really didn't have nowhere to go. So why and where was I running to? I gave the cab driver Ashley's address, because it was the nearest place I could think of.**_

Michelle was shaking- both out of coldness and out of distress. But strangely enough, she felt safe in that cab. She felt even safer once she got to Ashley's place, and even more safer when all of her girls meet up at Ashley's place the next morning.

 _ **And then I realized it was my life that I was running to and for. Even if it ain't going anywhere, it's mine, even if it's all little and broken, it's mine.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Brock Lesnar, Christian, Mickie James, Dolph Ziggler, Johnny 'Fandango', Alicia Fox, and Jack Swagger.**

 **Published On May 7, 2016.**


	7. Stay True

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 7: Stay True**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **Staying true to oneself is hard when the world doesn't believe in you.**_

It was another restless Thursday night in the City- nothing stopped, not even for a second. Cabs and cars honking with their headlights on, people rushing to get home and some rushing to get to work, others rushing for the nightlife and the stupid fun.

The skyline stood tall and bright, but Torrie unfortunately didn't after her publisher called her that night to tell her that she should wait a few more years before she publishes her first book. Torrie fell to her bed and she cried.

Within a few days she had told everybody she knew that she was officially a published author and that her book would be in every stand, she envisioned every little part of releasing that first book. The book she had been working on for years was rejected within a few days after consideration.

Torrie eventually fell asleep. She slept with her makeup on, she slept with her jeans and t-shirt on, she left the window of her room open, and she didn't even bother to cover herself with a blanket.

* * *

Up the City and away from the Lower East side, in the Park Avenue area, Candice was on her feet shopping for a new pair of shoes.

 _ **Candice preferred to shop in the nights- according to her, she loved the smell of the perfumes all clashing and she loved the pretty lights that made everything seem that much more glamorous. Candice loved her little night-time shopping tradition and she wasn't going to change that.**_

She went through the shoes, going back and forth between four pairs of shoes. She finally went with the peep-toe _Louis Vuitton_ beige heels, after about forty minutes that is. Candice was happy to have the last pair of those heels and she carried on with going through the racks of _Nordstrom_.

It was all 'just shopping', until her credit card told her it was a serious problem. "Mam, your card was declined," the cashier notified Candice. Candice didn't know what to do or say, so she tried arguing. "Try again, maybe it's a glitch," Candice insisted as she began putting the heels into the bag.

The cashier got on the phone with Candice's bank after Candice kept on nagging that it was a 'glitch'. The cashier picked up some scissors and she cut the credit card in half, "They told me to do that," she informed Candice.

 _ **Her credit card was the only thing stopping her and forcing her to change.**_

A man behind Candice overheard and stepped in kindly."I can pay for her purchase," the man claimed. Candice would have said 'no' if there were more people to judge her, but the line was almost empty and the cashier couldn't possibly judge her anymore than she already was.

"That would be wonderful, an act of kindness really," Candice thanked him. He popped out his wallet and payed right in cash, popping about 400 dollars on her shoes. "Thank you so much sir, really, what's your name" Candice asked. The man turned to her and he winked.

 _ **The man was known as the 'Hamptons King'. He had heard of Candice's parties and instantly recognized her, as the king of the Hamptons he was impressed. The man was a multi-millionaire, with estates everywhere. He had no wife and no kids, his job was too cool to describe in just a few words and for his age he looked amazing.**_

"Oh and here's my number, I'd like to host and fund your next party, in fact I want you to throw it at my mansion," he proposed boldly. She was impressed with his assertive nature, "Okay, I'll definitely consider your offer," Candice replied.

* * *

The next morning all four women met at their favorite little place for brunch- a little diner place on Madison Avenue. The ladies were looking over the menu when they came across Candice's new heels, "Wow Candice, are you trying to kill a bitch with those Louis Vuittons," Michelle asked.

Torrie and Ashley looked down and they too were impressed, Candice stuck her legs out and began modeling them. "Why thank you, after my credit card was declined a nice man payed for them and he is even offering to throw my next party... at his mansion," Candice told them all about.

"Did ya sleep with him," Ashley asked instantly. "No actually, apparently he's just a fan of mine," Candice told them. "Well, that's no reason to spend nearly half a grand on a pair of shoes," Michelle argued.

Candice drew them in, "He's not just any man, he's the 'Hamptons King'," she told them. Torrie gasped, as a young woman in the city she would always hear about the mythical man known as the 'Hamptons King'.

"He's real," Torrie asked innocently as if he were Santa, "Well either way, you can't take the heels... then it makes you like his-". Ashley interrupted, "It makes you his bitch Candice," she finished off the sentence for Torrie.

Candice plugged her ears with her fingers, "Nope, nope, nope! As long as I don't sleep with him for the things he can offer me, I'm not his bitch," she argued.

 ** _Candice was sticking to her guns._**

"The woman has got a point," Michelle said, "Men think they have the power, but oh how they don't!"

Torrie raised her finger to argue the point, "Well they do, some of them... like my publisher, who is declining to publish my book," Torrie told them, "He changed his mind and my book is no longer happening, despite my years of hard work, all because he said so."

"Fuck men," Ashley proclaimed like one of those cliche feminists. "I mean it, fuck them all! Fuck everybody, male or female, straight or gay, black or white- and anybody else who tries to run your life or change it."

 _ **All we wanted was to be ourselves.**_

"I'm gonna keep shopping and throwing parties, I don't care," Candice declared. "And I'm gonna get my first book published," Torrie followed. "And I'm with a woman, whom I love to sleep with," Ashley threw out there.

They all waited for Michelle, "I'm basically killing my marriage, for a fucking city... but hey, it's New York," Michelle brought down the vibe.

 _ **But why was that so hard for me?**_

* * *

Later that evening Ashley had a date with her girlfriend, Mickie wanted to take her somewhere special. Ashley forgot what it felt like to be in a relationship- getting dressed up all nice for a night out in a city that can offer so much. All of Mickie's friends came along, excited for the young night.

The women took an uber, according to them 'cabs were overrated' and ubers were the new thing. They took Ashley to another art gallery and as an artist she couldn't have asked for a better place... until she walked in.

The art gallery was underground- literally, you had to walk down under a bar to get to the gallery. Pretentious hipsters were everywhere and that only brought back cringe-worthy memories for Ashley, back in the day when she was a hipster herself.

What was even more pretentious was the actual art- it was a woman's art gallery. Women body parts were painted and photographed, real poop and pee of women were on display. However, no pervert man could get the 'treat', it was a lesbian gallery in a lesbian bar for a reason.

 _ **As an artist, Ashley was not impressed. The lighting in the gallery room was off, the colors and textures weren't cohesive, and the shock value wasn't as shocking... Ashley's seen it before, but the poop and pee were new.**_

"Isn't this place revolutionary, it's truly innovative, right," Mickie asked Ashley. Ashley turned to her, she wanted to playfully say 'no', but all of Mickie's friends turned to her too. So Ashley nodded with a smile, "Definitely," she told them, "It's quite something."

 _ **What she meant to say was "It's quite literally shit".**_

* * *

After Torrie declined Brock's offer to go on a date, Brock persisted to try. Torrie also persisted to try, but she wanted to try with something else- her book. She had another meeting with her publisher and all of the other big men from her publishing house, wanting to see if Torrie could convince them.

 _ **Torrie layed out her plan to try and convince them in the kitchen, and it was looking very sweet.**_

Out on the kitchen counter layed cups of flour, milk, a small amount of butter, four eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, red food coloring, sprinkles and sweet white frosting... among other odd ingredients, like sour cream and salt.

Brock looked confused, as a successful businessman, he did not understand Torrie's vision. Regardless, he wanted to help. "Okay, let's start," he said, but by then she had already started.

It was a typical day for Torrie, but a first for Brock. The two hustled, often getting dirty and sweaty just from mixing up in the pink bowl and running around the kitchen to get things done. Torrie's kitchen window was open, you could hear the city roaring, yet somehow every noise the city made or every move it made... Torrie stuck to her own path.

Brock finally had enough. He put the pink bowl down and dropped the egg beater whisk mixer, "This is silly Torrie, I'm sorry, but if I can give you advice it's that this will not work... you need to take a more professional approach, maybe make some points about how your book can bring in the big money," Brock advised her.

Torrie was in the middle of putting in a badge of cupcakes into the oven. She turned to him after closing the oven, with her face all sweaty and covered in flour. "This is my way Brock, this is who I am... don't try to control my approach," she responded, "And if you're not gonna help, please leave."

 _ **Brock stuck by because he really liked Torrie and he really liked red velvet cupcakes... as a treat, not as a professional tool.**_

* * *

Ashley was cruising around the art gallery, sticking by Mickie's side at all times. She felt like that one awkward person who follows their only friend at the party for the entire duration, it was a horrible feeling for Ashley.

The drinks were rolling out, little appetizers were being served by the hip and good-looking waiters (all women of course). The artists were all having good chuckles with one another, Mickie and the other fellow lesbians were all admiring and raving over the artists from the corner of the gallery.

Ashley didn't understand and the words slipped out of her mouth, "What's the big deal?" They all turned to her, offended. "What's your problem... uh, do you even understand anything," one of Mickie's friends rhetorically asked.

 _ **And as Ashley began scouting the room, she realized she didn't fit in. Not just in that gallery, but in the 'community' as a whole. Ashley somehow always thought she would be a natural fit for the lesbian community, but the standards were tougher than expected.**_

"Wow, sorry, it was a joke guys," Ashley insisted, "Seriously, they are all exceptional godly creatures... like wow, I'm amazed by them! Learn to pick up on a little sarcasm, gosh!"

The bunch didn't laugh, "I'm surprised you're dating Mickie," one of them admitted. "Okay, that's enough," Mickie told them off. She held Ashley's hand and Ashley just decided to keep her mouth shut.

* * *

 _ **A few weeks ago I cut Mark from my life- I told him I was busy with my own marriage and new life and the funny thing was that I now needed him for the same reasons he needed me.**_

Michelle thought about Jack and she still loved him very much, so it hurt her to know the two were having a cold rift. After she ran away for a day, Michelle eventually returned to her apartment of course... but things weren't the same.

Michelle and Jack rarely had real conversations, they would ignore each other for the most part. Jack was just waiting to finally move. While Michelle couldn't stand the silence in the home- so she sneaked out to see a friend.

Mark agreed to meet with her at their favorite little coffee place, _Kaffee 1668._ She missed seeing his face and when she finally did come across him, sitting all lonesome at a small table, she rushed to him openly.

"Karma is a bitch," Michelle said, "You came to me with a problem, and I blew you off... and now, ironically, I'm going through the same thing."

"So Jack is controlling too," he asked. She nodded and began to cry a little, "Yeah, he wanted me to leave the city for him and move to New Jersey... I said 'no' and we got in a fight, and I ran away like a coward, and now we rarely talk," she explained to him.

 _ **That day I learned that no matter how busy life gets, never ditch a friend.**_

After ordering her a warm cup of coffee and a croissant, he put his hand on her arm and said, "I'm sorry Michelle, but talk to me."

Michelle knew she had a good friend in Mark, the two went on and on, till the clock seemed like it was just a prop.

* * *

Over at the Hamptons, Candice was getting a tour of the Hamptons king's mansion. She wanted to see what she was working with for her next party, and she was very impressed.

The neighborhood was very classy, but not traditional or suburban in any way.

It was a three-story mansion, with colossal white columns standing up in the front and a healthy green grass spreading about. Giant arched windows gave Candice a peek of what was inside.

When the Hamptons king opened up the large wooden doors, everything was what she expected. The giant chandelier in the middle of the entrance gleamed so beautifully, and the white, glossy glass staircases were enormous- two sides of staircases leading to two different places, the one on the right led to the second floor and the one on the left led to the third floor.

 _ **It was paradise, quite literally and Candice had no guilt or shame.**_

Even the small little vase of white lillys on the small table by the front door were luxuriously placed.

The kitchen had marble counters and seashells were carefully arranged in certain places. The polished furniture was mostly all white, with a few exceptions of beige, gold, brown, and other classical neutral colors. The mansion had a very tropical feeling- small trees and other exotic plants were meshed with the interior and the mansion itself had a very 'beachy smell'.

Candice couldn't believe it, she was too overwhelmed to even say anything. He poured piña colada for the two and he carried on with the tour. The backyard really stole the show and Candice was convinced she was going to throw her next party there.

The backyard also had a healthy and neat lawn of grass. Shrubs were perfectly lined up across the field, with marble steps leading down from the patio. A blue and shimmering pool layed in the middle of the backyard. The pool was long and somewhat narrow, placed in a marble floor.

 _ **Candice envisioned her party at that mansion and nobody could stop her... not even the bank or any jealous bitch. She was sticking to her guns and this man was giving her the bullets.**_

"So what do you think," he asked, trying to appear modest. "I'm throwing my party here... I'm for sure throwing my party here," she excitedly exclaimed.

 _ **And just to keep it real, Candice made her party a charity event this time.**_

* * *

Torrie rushed through the streets, in a hustle. She had the badge of cupcakes in a little pink box, and thankfully it had a handle for her to carry like a purse. Regardless, it was a pain in the ass.

She ran through the people and she ran through the streets- Torrie was determined and she wasn't going to let anybody stand in her way. A man pulled her, "Hey, this is a construction zone, you can't walk through here," the man yelled at her.

Torrie stopped and looked him straight in the eye, "I'm going, sorry," she told him, with the sweetest tone. Torrie ran through the site, even getting some small chunks of wood in her shoes.

 _ **Torrie had a path and she wasn't going to change direction, she knew where she was going for the first time. She always knew what she wanted, but now she had an idea of how to get there.**_

After a jog, Torrie met with the publishers and right away presented them each with a cupcake. While Brock was doubting her and while the cupcakes were in the oven, Torrie wrote her publishers a pitch for her book and she made them believe.

After her convincing pitch and after some delicious pastries, Torrie convinced them. "Congratulations, we're publishing your book," one of the men told her, "Rodger bring out the contract."

Torrie shook their hands and she promised them that they wouldn't regret it. That night, she went to sleep with a self-confident smile.

 _ **The girl stayed true to herself the entire time, she made the world follow her instead of following it.**_

* * *

Ashley was doing the opposite of staying true to herself, she was keeping herself quiet and she was apologizing for her opinions... when she didn't have to, even if they were Mickie's friends. The art gallery was beginning to get more and more packed, many preferred to see the art in the night and Mickie's friends decided to stick by with the crowd.

"We've been here for like four hours... we're being posers, we saw the art now let's go," Ashley said, "I'm starving!"

Again, they all turned to her. "No offense or anything, but if anybody is a poser it's you," one of Mickie's friends told her. "Are you even lesbian, or are you one of those annoying straight girls who 'experiments' to turn on the guys," she questioned Ashley's motifs.

 _ **People want you to be real, but how can you when they get offended by the real you?**_

Ashley had enough. "Okay, first of all, I'm a Brooklyn bitch, meaning I've seen it all and your little pretentious artsy lifestyle does not impress me or intimidate me," Ashley let them all know. "I've never called myself a 'lesbian', however, don't dare question my feelings for Mickie... because they are real, I really like her, like a lot and you all snobs have no right to question that or lower it into what you assume," Ashley ranted on.

Ashley kissed Mickie and hugged her goodbye, "Don't follow me, I'm not mad at you, but I do need time alone," Ashley whispered to Mickie. "Oh and I don't like your friends, in case that wasn't clear," she added.

 _ **A 'Brooklyn Bitch' always stays real, no matter where you put her or how hard you try to change her. Ashley knew who she was and she knew what she felt inside- it was all very authentic.**_

* * *

The night was dark, but not too dark, the skies were a shade of navy blue. Michelle had Mark by her side, after leaving _Kaffee 1668_ , the two took a small stroll around Central Park.

Mark even accompanied Michelle to her place, but when she walked into her apartment it was empty.

All of Jack's stuff were gone, no sign of him anywhere. He left a note on the kitchen table and it read- _Bye._ Michelle didn't cry, but instead folded it neatly and carefully placed it in the chest pocket of her shirt.

From the doorway, Mark could tell Michelle needed somebody. He went over and hugged her, but she only accepted about three seconds of the hug. "It's okay, you should get going, Victoria is probably waiting," Michelle told him.

The two hugged one last time and out he went. She watched him from her living room window, he turned around to her and she waved goodbye.

 _ **I was true to myself, to the city, to my friends, and to my love. There was nothing I could do anymore, but to stay true to myself and I wasn't going to feel sorry for that.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ The Hamptons King, Mickie James, Brock Lesnar, and Mark Calaway.**

 **Published On May 15, 2016.**


	8. We Get Drunk, High, and Heartbroken

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 8: We Get Drunk, High, and Heartbroken...**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **It all started when I invited Mark to Candice's party and everything from there went somewhere I could never quite understand.**_

"You've been through enough shit today, let's go out! We both need to, be my date to Candice's party, it'll be fun," Michelle insisted. Mark was having a small headache, so he sat on the couch while Michelle went off to get dressed.

Mark contemplated while on the couch, but he gave in when Michelle came out of the bathroom all ready to go. She looked stunning and Mark thought it wouldn't hurt to accompany her, so he quickly freshened up in the bathroom.  
"I'm buying you a new button-up shirt, there's an _H &M _around the corner," she told him. So the two went off into the night. Mark picked a long sleeved button-up, it was a light shade of blue.

Michelle was pleased, "I like that color, it's very soft and mellow to the eyes," she said, "You're gonna love the party, we can go for at least an hour so you can get back home without making Victoria suspicious."

 _ **Now looking back, it was like we were having an affair and the party was our sex. But we both needed that party and it felt good.**_

* * *

 _ **The next morning, I woke up in Candice's bathtub... well the Hamptons King's bathtub.**_

Michelle rubbed her eyes and she awoke to the smell of pancakes, "Where am I," Michelle asked herself. A model was brushing her teeth, she turned to Michelle and waved.

"Hi sweetie, the party was to die for," the thin model told Michelle. "Where's Candice," Michelle asked the model with long brown hair. The model pointed downstairs, "She's making pancakes," she told her, "Hey, do I look fat," the model asked.

Michelle ignored her and proceeded to walk downstairs. "Hey, where's Mark," Michelle asked Candice. "He went home, Victoria was calling him and I don't blame her, it was 1 A.M. by the time he left," Candice told her.

"What a fucking party," Candice exclaimed, "It was at a mansion, which I didn't even have to pay for, it was exclusive and all my girls were here, finally... oh and it was for charity of course!"

 _ **Everything was a blur to me, I could not remember one thing.**_

The two stayed quiet for a while, both yawning and still somewhat hungover. "Oh my fuckin' god, my husband cheated on me, that little fucker," a woman abruptly said. The woman was middle-aged, she had golden sunglasses on and a floral dress that reached all the way to her feet, and a giant straw sun hat.

Michelle and Candice didn't know what to tell her, they didn't know her. She randomly walked in from the backyard, "I'm gone for three days and the son of a bitch cheats on me, can you believe that," she told them.

"My husband moved to New Jersey, and here I am partying in the Hamptons... he's been gone for about a week," Michelle told the woman. "Well expect to be cheated on," the woman warned Michelle and then walked away.

 _ **And then I got to thinking. Everything I thought I knew suddenly started flying out the window.**_

Michelle watched as the woman walked away. Candice turned Michelle away from the woman, "Don't listen to her, Wade cheated on me and we we're living together when he cheated," Candice reassured her.

Michelle tried staying calm, but it was now running through her mind.

* * *

 _ **Ashley and Mickie also went to Candice's party, but they spent their morning a little different.**_

The city was chilly that morning, but Ashley's sheets were very warm. The room began to get hotter and hotter as Mickie began kissing Ashley all around the neck and shoulders. She started down, kissing until she hit the 'jackpot'.

Mickie started slowly with her fingers and then she used her mouth to intensify the feeling, her tongue tingled around and inside Ashley's 'jackpot'. Ashley held onto the sheets, with a satisfaction that made her moan.

"So you like that baby," Mickie murmured. Mickie rubbed the 'jackpot' one more time and then lied on her back, waiting for Ashley to return the favor.

Ashley got the hint. She sat up and got in between Mickie's legs, but she had no clue on what to do with it.

 ** _It was their first time, and Ashley did not know what she was doing._**

Ashley used four fingers in a bunch and she tapped Mickie's 'little box'. "Mmm," Ashley tried sounding convincing, "Yum." She slowly placed her mouth on it, but her entire face was trembling and she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Either way, Mickie began shoving Ashley's face into it. She then grabbed a pink vibrator and within minutes of using both hands, one to force Ashley's tongue and the other to use the vibrator, Mickie finished.

"Oh my gosh, wow," Mickie moaned as she closed her eyes. Ashley on the other hand, was practically traumatized.

 _ **Ashley was just taking a nice swim in the lady pond, only to find herself drowning and suffocating.**_

* * *

After finally getting home, Michelle took a shower to wash away the hangover and surely enough she did, but she couldn't wash away the things the doubts and questions. Michelle felt paranoid that Jack was going to stop loving her or cheat on her- Why wouldn't he? They were living in different states and they haven't been talking in the past week.

 _ **I couldn't shake the doubts, so I called Jack. I was ready to patch things up, at this point, I was even willing to move to New Jersey with him.**_

"Please pick up," Michelle waited. He didn't pick up though, so Michelle left him a message. "Jack, I'm sorry, about everything, I really am and I just want things to go back to how they were," she begged of him, "I want us to live together like a married couple should, so..., call me back, I'll move to Jersey with you."

She hung up. She couldn't bare hearing a grainy empty sound coming from the phone and around her, she missed her husband and she was beginning to wonder why she didn't just move with him to begin with.

* * *

It was a Friday morning, Candice was unaware of that until the hospital called her to see where she was. Candice rushed home and quickly got into her nursery scrubs, she had no time to do her makeup.

She put her hair up in a messy bun and everything else about her was messy, so to make up for it she put on some killer heels.

Five blocks later, Candice was regretting the heels. She kept hustling and sweating, oh and still hungover too, while everybody shamefully glanced at her.

 _ **Hangovers are a bitch.**_

Before even walking into the children's hospital, Candice put on her appropriate, professional mask on. Being surrounded by sick children while still a little tipsy is probably the worst case scenario.

"I'm never throwing a party on a day before work," Candice whispered to herself. Everything went well- Candice greeted her co-workers, she attended the sick children, she managed to keep conversations, and she was able to think straight.

Candice kept a smile throughout those eight hours and the children liked the cherry lollipops she carried and her sweet strawberry smell.

 _ **Candice had an alter ego while at work at the children's hospital- she described her alter ego as a hotter version of Mary Poppins and she used Torrie for inspiration.**_

After work however, Candice could no longer hide the fact that she had been drinking the day before. She went to freshen up in the restroom, minutes later she ended up asleep in a stall and she stayed asleep for the next two hours.

* * *

Over across a bridge in Brooklyn, Ashley played around with some alter ego's too. She began to feel confused with the fact that she wasn't attracted to vagina, but was romantically attracted to a woman.

Next to her art studio there was a little thrift store and Ashley stopped by during her lunch break.

 _ **Ashley once tried to change her dressing style for a gay man she thought was straight, then she began over-sexualizing her image for other men, and now she was trying to butch herself up for a lesbian.**_

She went through the racks and began picking out all the flannels she could find, and there were a lot. She also picked out some baggy pants.

Ashley rushed next door to her art studio and she locked the place to play around a little. She threw on some things and she mixed & matched a few outfits, until she finally found the perfect 'lesbian outfit'. The outfit included a long red flannel, a pair of black lose _Avril Lavigne_ styled pants, her good old black punk boots, and a beanie.

She called Mickie and she set up a date at her art studio.

 ** _Ashley really didn't know what she was doing now._**

* * *

Back in the Lower East Side, it was another typical working day for Torrie, she left home for lunch and found a little surprise waiting for her on her doorstep. After editing and after a few more revisions, Torrie's book was complete and ready to publish. The package was labeled ' _Book by Torrie, for Torrie'_... of course that wasn't the name of the book, Torrie was still undecided on the title.

"Oh my, oh my," Torrie excitedly cheered as she picked up the box. She shook it and she could hear her book, she even caught a whiff of that classic 'book smell'.

Torrie began opening it, the whole world seemed to stop and she felt like she was on the edge.

 _ **Opening that box for Torrie felt like opening the zipper to a really hot guy's jeans, you expect a lot, only to be let down.**_

The soon-to-be author took the book out and 'yuck' she thought. "What is this?" Torrie was not amused. The book was plain yellow, with tacky orange and bright pink squares on the sides and on the top. It looked like a powerpoint slide.

"What is this, oh god, what is this," Torrie cried out. It only got worse, "They couldn't even at least spell my name right," she cried out.

Torrie ran to her room and she hid the book under the bed before going back to work.

* * *

 _ **For Mark, the bad designs haunting him were far worse and much more permanent.**_

Mark had disappeared after Michelle somehow fell asleep in a bathtub in some millionaire's mansion, she had no idea what he did afterwards. So Mark began telling her everything that transpired after he left the party at 1 A.M.

"Victoria was pissed, I don't blame her, she went off on me and the baby cried, it was a mess," Mark told her, "She told me that I can no longer live so recklessly and she told me that I needed to grow up... so I got a tattoo."

Michelle gasped, "Oh no, Mark, please tell me you weren't still drunk when you got it," she asked fearfully. He looked ashamed, "Kind of... I wanted to piss her off and I did it to be rebellious-" Mark couldn't finish, Michelle cut him mid-way.

"You sound like a fucking teenager Mark," she told him. Mark shook his head and carried on with the story, "Anyway, so I thought, 'Okay, she want's me to be more grown', so I got a tattoo of my credit score," he then proceeded to show her the tattoo.

On the side of his rib-cage he had his current credit score and next to it it read- _'Do Yo Taxes Man and Keep Yo Credit Score High Brotha'._

 _ **He was like a teenager, and he was also like one of those people with the 'gone wrong' tattoos you read about online, and he was also like one of those parody guys in those commercials credit scores and taxes.**_

Michelle laughed, she couldn't help it. "Oh, wow, Mark," she said. She held onto her stomach as she laughed, Mark found it funny too, but not nearly as funny. "I'm a fucking joke for crying out loud," he declared, while laughing.

 _ **I shouldn't have been laughing, my own life wasn't too pretty either. I guess we can all be like teenagers, mistakes, and walking jokes sometimes.**_

* * *

After a nap in the bathroom stall, Candice finally woke up to the noise of a janitor sweeping the floors. "Shit," she uttered after realizing how screwed up she was.

By then her hungover was gone, but Candice continued to shamefully walk past some of her co-workers who stayed in late and by patients. "Hello," Candice waved to the people as she walked by, "Hello."

She stepped outside and felt the fresh air take over her, she felt so free and relaxed. Her phone began to ring, she looked down and hell ruined that. It was Wade, he rarely called her, and it was never good.

"Hello Wade, why are you calling me," she asked.

 _ **The entire party was a messy non-existent blur to us all. For example, Candice left an embarrassing crying voicemail on Brooklyn's phone and she totally forgot about it.**_

Wade paused and then he ran her down. "Why did you leave that disturbing message on Brooklyn's voicemail, he called me and told me that it was embarrassing... especially since he accidentally had it on speaker while he was with his friends," he caught her up on.

"No," Candice whispered. "You screwed up Candice, you need to apologize because he was really upset and worried about you," Wade told her, "Even I'm worried about you, what is going on with you?"

Candice rolled her eyes, "Okay, I'll call him and fix it, but please juse stop judging me Wade," she told him off. "I make mistakes, and you do too... like cheating on me and breaking our family," she spoke the unspeakable.

"Candice, are you having some type of meltdown," he asked his ex-wife. Candice chuckled sarcastically and hung up.

* * *

It was a smoky afternoon- the city was jazzy and the people were all going somewhere on that Friday. Including Mickie, she was excited to finally have a one-on-one date with Ashley.

Mickie wore a pretty blue vest and a white mesh lace dress, she even wore her little brown boots that she dubbed her 'good boots'. She looked like a angelic gypsy- authentic and gorgeous... then came Ashley.

Ashley was far from authentic, and nowhere near gorgeous. Ashley didn't understand the true colors of individuals, how everybody can be their own person without fitting into exaggerated stereotypes.

Mickie hopped out of the cab, bubbly and excited. She then saw Ashley and her spirits dropped. Ashley approached her, but Mickie pushed her away. "What are you wearing," Mickie asked Ashley.

Ashley shrugged, "A big flannel, some baggy jeans, and some boots man," she responded. "Because I like women and vagina and boobs," Ashley playfully added.

Mickie shook her head, practically feeling mocked. "You're being offensive Ashley, and I don't know why you're acting like this," Mickie said.

"Uh, maybe because you practically shoved my face into your vagina and I didn't like it one fucking bit and if I can't have sex with you... then what the hell happens," Ashley admitted.

"We can still be in a relationship, sex isn't everything and I didn't know you felt that way, I guess I was too rough," Mickie admitted.

 _ **Ashley and Mickie just didn't fit- in Ashley's eyes they were destined to dissolve fast.**_

"It's not just that, I don't fit in your world, I don't fit in with your friends, I don't fit next to you," Ashley explained to her. Mickie's eyes melted away, she closed them for a second and then hugged Ashley. "Well, off you go and off I go, and I guess that's it," Mickie said.

Ashley and Mickie were done, just like that, they had broken up. "And by the way, you need to be more confident in who you are," Mickie advised Ashley. Mickie gave her one last piece of advice, "I hope you find a man who will really make you feel confident and comfortable."

* * *

The night began to sink in and the air swayed around the city, pulling people and moving buildings so smoothly like a dance. Torrie was far from feeling smooth and mellow, she was desperately trying to change the cover of her book, but her publisher was telling her that it would cost them extra money and extra time.

Brock came over to see if Torrie was free, but he saw how stressed she was about her book. "Hey, listen, you can't do much about it," he tried comforting her, "That's business, sometimes you can't always have it go your way."

"Brock, are you not seeing the book cover, it is horrendously lifeless," Torrie cried out. Torrie kept on calling, but her publisher kept on arguing with her that nothing could be done.

 _ **It was a dead end road for Torrie, she felt exhausted, but still not hopeless somehow.**_

"Come on, lets go out and just forget about the book for now," he suggested. Torrie shook her head and shooed him out as kindly as she could, "Sorry, I have to see what I can do to change the cover," she told him.

He left, with no love or sugar. Torrie was running into a wall, but she had a hammer in her hand and she wasn't going to let that wall be the end for her.

* * *

The Friday night was slowly getting darker and colder. Candice called Brooklyn and she apologized for the disturbing voicemail, Wade shamed her like she was some mistake.

Candice took another nap, before finally calling Brooklyn and really apologizing. "It's okay, just don't do it again, that was really uncomfortable for me," Brooklyn told her. "Are you sure you're okay mom," he asked.

"I'm doing great, and I hope you are too," she insisted. The conversation went back and forth like that for just two minutes or so. "Okay, well, I have to go now," Brooklyn told his mother.

Candice wanted to stay on the phone with him forever and just hear his voice. "Take care honey, and, I miss you so much, I'll be waiting for you when you get home," she promised him.

"Drunk, or sober enough to really be there," he asked, half jokingly, but with a concerned undertone.

 _ **Candice wanted to promise him the world, and she wanted to carry that world for him... but unfortunately, she wasn't sure anymore.**_

After chuckling, she stayed silent for a while. "I promise," she claimed. Her eyes got watery and the call ended.

* * *

 _ **Candice didn't know what she was doing, Ashley and Torrie didn't know either, and I was just as lost as them. We all didn't really have perfect vision that Friday night.**_

After her breakup, Ashley called Michelle and told her everything, she didn't feel like spending the night alone and Michelle insisted she should stay at her place for the night.

Torrie also came that night, she showed them the book and they were all trying to convince her that it was fine... but they finally admitted that Torrie had to fight for a better book cover. Eventually, Candice joined the three. After feeling like shit, Candice needed her girls to make her feel like more than shit and reassure her that a little fun never hurt nobody.

 _ **It was a girls sleepover, plus Mark.**_

Mark showed his tattoo to Victoria, and Victoria was not happy. According to Mark, the two fought and Victoria told him to sleep on the couch. Mark was sure going to sleep on a couch, but on the couch of Michelle.

He showed up the same way the other three women showed up to the door, Michelle invited him to stay the night and Mark was grateful for her.

 _ **The girls were grateful that they were spending the night together, I was grateful that the girls were keeping me away from the loneliness of my apartment, and Mark was grateful that the girls and I were all present. Because the girls didn't know what they were doing at this point, I was no longer sure why I didn't move with Jack, and Mark would feel weird if it were just him and I in the apartment we once shared.**_

It was 11 P.M. and somehow marijuana ended up in their hands. It was a long story, a silly one, one they couldn't really recall anymore.

"I once smoked pot with Punk, and this is exactly how it felt," Torrie told them, "Magical, oh my jeez!" Torrie smiled as she jumped up and down happily.

Candice laughed, with her head rested on the living room window. "How did we end up here, I never thought I'd see the day," Candice said, laughing uncontrollably.

"Shit happens," Ashley responded. Ashley was lying on the floor, with no shirt on, just a bra and a pair of old jeans.

Michelle lied on the couch, hanging upside down like a bat. She had her legs up on the couch and her head on the floor, the blood was rushing up her head and the world felt like a rush too. "I haven't smoked pot in such a long time," she said while chuckling.

Mark hung upside down too, right next to Michelle. He turned to her and shrugged, "Life is weird," he said.

 _ **And my friends, life really is weird. Not just the day, but our lives in general and some of our decisions. They were confusing and somehow we justified them, but we were all just running around like chickens without heads. After no longer being high on weed, I packed my bags to move to Jersey at 4 in the morning.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Mark Calaway, Mickie James, Wade Barrett, Brock Lesnar, and Brooklyn Barrett.**

 **Published On May 21, 2016.**


	9. Put Your Boxing Gloves On

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 9: Put Your Boxing Gloves On**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

It was a chilly Tuesday afternoon, many were pushing through to keep the day going and unfortunately many more were giving up on the day too. Michelle sure didn't, she was sitting underneath the massive City skyline in Central Park.

The trees swayed and the leaves all danced around in the swooshing air. She sat on a bench and watched as Mark walked towards her with his baby daughter in a stroller. He waved to her and she waved back with a smile, it was quite lovely to see a friend all grown up.

"Look at her, she's so precious," Michelle said. The baby was still very young, only about five months old. She had deep hazel eyes and a cute little nose, chubby pink(ish) cheeks, and just enough hair on her little head.

Mark sat by Michelle, he pulled the stroller and faced it towards his body. "Life is wonderful," he blurted out. "I have some great news, Victoria and I agreed to start patching things up real good, and I'm really fighting for us... especially for my little girl," he told Michelle.

 _ **Mark got in the ring, leaving me behind and I don't think he noticed that and I also don't think he remembered promising me that he would never leave my side.**_

Michelle and Mark stayed silent for a while, just watching the innocence of the little baby. She had her little beanie on and a warm blanket wrapped around her in love, Mark and Victoria both wrapped that one up.

"That's good to hear," Michelle finally told him. "I'm really happy that you're happy, and you shouldn't give up, you have an innocent girl depending on you to fight hard," she reminded him.

Mark smiled as he softly ran his fingers across the side of the baby's face, "I actually was coming to take her to the Zoo, so goodbye Michelle," he said as he got up. "Goodbye Mark," she replied.

 _ **He never said it, but it was implied that he would have to leave me behind for another fight. I don't blame him, his little baby was well worth the fight and any other fight.**_

* * *

 _ **After breaking up with Mickie and after recently turning 37, Ashley was ready to go back onto the field. Despite going out with a woman, Ashley was only playing for one team.**_

The makeup was out, the different outfits were layed out, and her own personal stylist was ready to start getting some shots of her. Ashley joined a dating site, called ' _Hot or Not_ ', and she wasn't ashamed. Dolph had insisted that she join _Tinder_ , but she went with the sister app. Dolph was highlighting her face, meanwhile Ashley tried looking at his facial reaction through the mirror.

He stopped once he noticed, "What," he asked. Ashley shook her head, but finally responded. "I feel like you're judging me, you probably think I'm a desperate loser," Ashley admitted.

Dolph laughed, "Nope, you're not getting any judgement from me," Dolph reassured her, "I'm the one who told you to join a dating site, and it was my idea to have a fucking photoshoot for your profile pictures."

"Hoe, you just wanted an excuse to turn me into a fabulous drag-queen," she jokingly responded. "And you probably just thought I was a lonely soul, with no chance of ever finding somebody, I mean I let my relationship with Mickie fall apart and I didn't even fight to keep it alive," Ashley cried out.

 _ **Those worth fighting for you will fight for without even second-thinking. Mickie just wasn't that person for Ashley, she still had a long way to finding that special person.**_

Dolph put his hands on her shoulders, to ease her. "Look, you and Mickie just weren't meant to be. Once you find him, you'll know, because he will make you feel safe and at home, trust me," Dolph advised her.

"For now though, I'll be a hoe on this app... because no offense, but I highly doubt I'll find 'him' on here," Ashley said while laughing. "And thank you! I literally feel like Britney fucking Spears, I feel so fine, now take the pictures," Ashley told him.

The camera began flashing, Ashley posed in 'casual areas'. She walked along the street, posed by doorways, extended her arms to give the illusion that she was just taking some casual selfies. She had her makeup full on, but her hair wasn't touched up, to make it seem more casually messy. She wore a polka dot poofy skirt, a grey sweater, and some fierce high-heeled booties. It was important to have balance, according to Dolph.

* * *

A little ways later, in that same art studio of Ashley's, Torrie dropped by after Ashley invited her for a book cover photoshoot. Torrie hopped in a cab during her lunch break and crossed the bridge.

She walked in and froze, "Wow, you look insanely gorgeous," Torrie told Ashley. Dolph felt proud of his work, he waved to Torrie from the back of the room and she waved back at him. "So, what's going on here," Torrie asked.

"Well, I joined a dating site and Dolph insisted that I needed amazingly awesome profile pictures, so we basically set up a photoshoot station, blah blah blah... anyway, then I remembered how you weren't giving up on your book's god-awful cover and here we are, ready to take some pictures for your book," Ashley explained to her.

 _ **Torrie pushed and shoved for her book to be perfect, including the book cover. Her publisher finally cut a deal with her, one that involved Torrie taking the cover picture with her own time and money.**_

The touched friend put her hand over her heart, "Aww, thank you," Torrie told the two. "And don't worry, I won't take too long, I'm not really picky," Torrie promised them. The three began brainstorming a couple of ideas and then got right to taking the pictures.

What was meant to only last a few minutes, went on for hours. Ashley and Dolph glanced at each other, both ready to take a long nap and let Torrie play with the camera on her own.

Ashley leaned her head on her palm, with her eyes closed. Dolph leaned his back against Ashley's back, the two were nearly asleep. "Oh my god, I got it, I got the shot," Torrie exclaimed and woke the two up.

The two ran to Torrie and looked over the 'golden' picture, it was a simple picture of a pair of stilettos laid by the doorway with an umbrella by the side. Torrie was more than excited to have the picture

 _ **Dolph and Ashley secretly wanted to strangle her for taking so long to take that one picture, but they didn't. As friends, they recognized the victory of a fellow friend, even if the match seemed small and pointless, it was a victory for a friend and therefore worth the time.**_

Dolph jumped in and began editing the picture, Torrie would tell him every little thing she wanted done. Meanwhile, Ashley's notifications blew up and with the help of Torrie she had a date set up that same afternoon.

* * *

In the Hamptons, it was a very windy day too and the white clouds were all set in the baby-blue skies. However, Parties never stopped in the Hamptons, especially in the Summer. The tropical palm trees stood high, the champagne was out, and the waiters were all out and about serving small appetizers.

 _ **The theme of Candice's party was dubbed 'Tropical Florida' in the e-vites she sent out. The weather wasn't looking too tropical, Candice was beginning to feel guilty about taking two days off from a children's hospital and that she just talked to Brooklyn about her problems, none of her main friends could make it, and the world in general seemed to be against her throwing the party.**_

The hostess had her newest _Valentino_ dress on. It was a sleeveless crew neckline dress, painted in sparkly metallic gold. It reached to her mid-thighs, and despite the cold winds, Candice's body fought to wear the hell out of that dress. She wore a very thick bra, just in case the coldness made her nipples pop up.

The people were giving her glances, observing and critiquing the socialite that seemed to have it all. The big party was booming, her dress was glimmering, and her head was high up. As she walked through the crowded people, the things she was hearing about herself were starting to become much more amplified.

 _"She's such a gold-digger." "She totally has a major drinking problem." "I heard she's sleeping with the Hamptons King to climb up socially." "She's so desperately trying to be the queen of the Hamptons." "That dress looks so bad on her." "From what I heard, she has a son who she forced off to boarding school." "Her husband left her for her spending problems, and that's probably when she started drinking." "She once had a musical, but rumor has it that she stole the idea."_

Candice felt so out of place at her own party, regardless, she kept on owning it. For a while, she put off drinking, but realized she wanted a drink and could have one if she wanted to.

And after a few more delicious drinks, Candice learned that she wasn't going to stop being herself for others. She couldn't keep picking out the people that were judging her, so she learned to deal with it. She danced happily in the middle of the dance-floor and oh how she didn't care.

 _ **There are those you meet in your journey that talk and only talk, then there are those who actually fight you in a ring. Those that just talk aren't worth your energy, you need the energy for those who you'll actually be fighting.**_

* * *

Ashley's date took place in a nice restaurant, those restaurants that have wine and bread-sticks set out on the table in a small basket. With chandeliers hanging, tables perfectly rounded and decorated, waiters dressed in tuxedo vests, and menus with food names that one can't even pronounce.

Ashley sat across the guy she just met on _Hot or Not_ , the two matched by swiping right and Ashley liked what she read in his bio and he was an attractive man... but nothing is ever what it seems.

 _ **The man was Chris Jericho, he was a woman-hater. He loved women, but he also had a passionate hate for them that rooted from his insecurities.**_

Everything seemed fine at first, but an innocent date turned into an internet sham. "Uh, look at that man checking out that woman," Chris grunted. "If I were in that woman's place he wouldn't even be looking at me, the gender inequality is so getting so out of hand," Chris stated.

And then suddenly Ashley realized why the man was on a dating app, and not out in the real world. "So, what does Chris Jericho like to do," Ashley asked.

He shook his head as he took a big aggressive bite out of his bread-stick. "Do you know what is bullshit, how if I were to punch you in the face the entire room would attack me, but if you punched me in the face it would be 'empowering'," he blurted out.

 _ **For a second Ashley was scared he might actually strike a punch, but she knew he wouldn't. Chris was known as a 'little bitch'- a man who is a 'little bitch' usually tries to start fights and usually cries about being the 'victim'.**_

Ashley didn't know what to tell him. "Or, a better idea... nobody should punch nobody, let's just not be violent," Ashley suggested. He rolled his eyes while Ashley looked over the menu.

* * *

The morning people of the park left, new ones came along, and then those left. It was like a metaphor for life, people coming and going... all while Michelle stuck by.

Michelle ripped a piece of her baguette and ate it, she watched as the kids played around her in the park. The parents all watched so happily, the park was so green and the solitude seemed so peaceful.

The skyline surrounding the park seemed more calm than ever, for some reason the sun gleamed on the City's tall skyscrapers so perfectly. Usually the skyline of the big melting pot can be intimidating or overwhelming.

 _ **It felt so peaceful to sit on a bench in Central Park, and then heading back into the city was the opposite of that, it was a rush. Only New York could kiss you and then slap you.**_

She spent most of her day in Central Park that day. After Mark left, she stayed on the bench for a few minutes, she then took a walk around the park and got a quick lunch. Michelle then picked up a baguette and sat on the same bench.

Michelle was partially contemplating going back home. Her thoughts at that point had somewhat quieted down, all she could really hear was the swooshing wind around her.

 _ **I was fighting to stay.**_

A little bird flew by her, it was an Eastern Bluebird. It stood on the bench for a second, it then spread its wings and went off towards the freeing city. The wind blew Michelle's hair all over the place, regardless, she kept her eyes on the little bird and fell in love.

* * *

The party at the Hamptons was continuing to rave through the afternoon. The skies were shaded in the depths of orange, the winds were still blowing, but Candice's party was just getting started.

People were dancing in their own little cliques, grinding and sweating just to feel themselves living so recklessly. The drinks were pouring, the money was on display by the socialites who were wearing designer labels.

It was flashy, fun, and the place to be. Meanwhile, the hostess sat in her little secret corner. Candice chugged her drink down and poured herself more from the big green bottle that sat by her side. She leaned her head on the wall beside her and just sat there in boredom. The party's life died a long time ago for her.

 _ **And just when you think you've hung up the boots and put the gloves away, a moment makes you tie those boots back up and put those gloves back on.**_

Candice no longer cared for the party, she lost interest. She watched the blank wall in front of her, but when the entire party stopped in one single moment to turn one direction, Candice had to look too. It was _Hugh Hefner_.

He stood by the door, with his sunglasses on and his iconic robe on, just looking in on the crowded mansion. He took his sunglasses off and winked at everybody, he walked inside with one playmate by each arm.

"Oh my god, it's Hugh Hefner," Candice gasped. Despite being wasted, she had a clear enough mind to comprehend the insanity of it all.

Everybody froze as he joined, but after finally letting it sink in, they gradually went back to raving the way they were before. Meanwhile, Candice ran to the bathroom to 'pretty' herself up.

She came out to have fun and to take it all in, the party she fought to throw and keep. "Hello, I'm Candice Michelle," Candice introduced herself. Hugh simply nodded, "Yes, I know who you are," he told her and Candice played it cool.

 _ **Candice's parties were officially 'the shit' and Hugh Hefner was the proof of that.**_

* * *

It was an eventful evening for many, including Torrie. After sending the new book cover to her publisher, Torrie's book was officially complete and it would be up in the stands within a week.

Her publishers were proud and so was Torrie, they were so proud that they insisted on throwing a last minute dinner party.

 _ **The long fight finally payed off.**_

The dinner party was thrown at some fancy restaurant in the Upper East Side. The lights were dazzling all pretty inside the restaurant, the giant charcoal table was filled with food and candles, everybody had some type of fragrance to show off and everybody had a chic little dress and/or suit. And in the middle of all of that, Torrie's book was on display in the middle of the table.

"Torrie, our debuting published author, may you have success with this new book of yours," the man toasted, with his glass up in the air. "Thank you, and thanks for coming everybody, I worked hard on this and I really pushed to make all of this happen the way I dreamed it happening," Torrie told them all and then sat down.

There was about twenty seven people at the table, but Torrie's plus one was no-show. She had invited Brock, so that the two could finally have their date, but he didn't show his face.

Torrie waited and waited, she would make small talk with a few fellow writers about her book, but every now and then she would look down at her phone to see if Brock at least called or messaged her... but he didn't and he sure lost an opportunity.

 _ **Torrie launched her book online that same night, but she wasn't going to launch a third try with Brock.**_

The newly author eventually called another man to be her plus one, Dolph. She felt she needed to thank him for helping her with her book cover and for tolerating her style of wrestling the obstacles that were placed in front of her.

* * *

What seemed to take forever, finally came to an end. Ashley had enough of this misogynist man.

He kept blabbing about his religious beliefs, according to him he was an atheist. After that, he went on to talking about how white heterosexual men have it harder than any other group nowadays, and then he started talking about how one day he was going to be filthy rich with a business idea... that he still didn't have.

 _ **The man even compared himself to Steve Jobs, oh, and he didn't shut up about being a vegan or about his workout schedule.**_

Ashley put her hands over her ears, "Okay, okay, shut the fuck up, like oh my god," Ashley finally had enough. Chris rolled his eyes and just when he was about to say something else, Ashley shoved a bread-stick in his mouth.

She took out a 100 dollar bill and threw it on the table, "Now try to bitch about women, they once cooked your meals and now they're paying for your meals! You're welcome bitch boy," Ashley said as she walked off.

Ashley beat him with a strong punch, but the truth was the man was punching himself the entire time.

* * *

 _ **After a very long fight, I finally put my fists down and that was the toughest part of the entire match.**_

Michelle's apartment was empty, boxes were stacked up by one corner and Jack leaned against them while he waited for his wife. Michelle turned off every light, she checked to make sure every window in every room was tightly shut and off she went.

Jack smiled the second he saw her, "A whole new life is waiting for us," Jack promised her. He got up and helped her with her bags, his car waited outside for them. Jack waited for Michelle at the bottom of the metal black staircase Michelle would always excitedly run down, and now she was going to leave all of that. Her apartment would be put on the market once Michelle got her boxes of things out of there, and as she locked the door she really did feel the end of an era.

 _ **It was a goodbye I wasn't prepared for, I had lived in that apartment for nearly a decade and so many memories were shared there.**_

Michelle started walking down those old black steps she was so used to, Jack stuck his hand out and Michelle jumped to him. The two walked to the car, hand in hand.

Instead of looking out the window, Michelle turned and faced Jack the entire time to remind herself of why she was leaving. He made her laugh and their conversations had so much optimism, that was comforting for her.

The two drove down under the Lincoln Tunnel and then up the New Jersey Route 495, they even drove over the Hackensack River to get to their new 'home'. After about thirty minutes, they finally reached a little town known as Kearny.

 _ **I was fighting to stay... to stay by my heavenly man. Sometimes you have to just let go, even if you don't know what might happen, because some people are just worth it and no matter how hard you try to fight it, your heart always comes back around to loving.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Mark Calaway, Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, and Jack Swagger.**

 **Published On June 1, 2016.**


	10. Playing That Yankees Game

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 10: Playing That Yankees Game**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

The hot sun was blazing over the city, it was a perfect day to let lose. The entire day was just one long afternoon- the type of afternoon where the sun sets dramatically over the skies and where for some reason everybody is carefree, there is just something in the air that is so relaxing.

It was officially Summer! The season to start playing the cards you collected throughout Spring and Winter was upon us.

Some were out partying on rooftops, others were out in pools, and Ashley was inside sexting. Despite having a horrible experience with a guy she met on the app, Ashley continued to stick around to see if she could catch a better fish.

 _ **Ashley had been messaging a guy for about a week now, it had started off with small conversation, then it got deeper, and one thing led to the other and soon they were 'sexting'.**_

 _Mmmm, I want you in me-_ Ashley typed up while cleaning out her fridge. _I'm gonna cum, oh I can feel it. You make me so horny baby-_ the man typed back. Ashley stared at the message, without really feeling anything, "Okay then, calm down there," Ashley said while chuckling.

 _Oh wow, I'm so wettt, I just got off and it felt so good-_ Ashley finally replied after throwing out some expired milk. Ashley really didn't put too much thought into it, but this man was totally into it, so she went along with it.

 _Let's meet, tonite! I can guarantee you that I will bring you so much pleasure, trust me, you'll go crazy when we fuck in person-_ the man promised her.

Ashley thought it over, she then shrugged and responded with- _Why the hell not! My place?_

 _ **And it was a done deal. The two would meet, after much anticipation and tension... well tension between the guy and his phone screen.**_

* * *

 _ **About a week ago, Torrie released her debuting book after much work and time, except it wasn't received quite well.**_

Candice was right by Torrie's side while the newly author read the reviews out loud. "The book is generic," Torrie cried out.

"According to _The New York Times_ my book is generic and should only belong in the aisles of a CVS," Torrie cried. Candice patted her on the back, she handed her a tissue. "Hey, it's your first book, nobody ever gets it right on their first go, trust me," Candice reassured her friend in need of a little confidence-booster.

Torrie shut her laptop and she picked up her book, staring it at so hopelessly. "I had so much high hopes for this book, and I really thought it would go somewhere," Torrie admitted.

Candice sat next to her on her bed, "My musical completely blew up in my face, I worked so hard on it and I really thought it was special... but the critics apparently didn't, and you know what, that doesn't matter! People still fucking judge me for the parties I have and for being glitzy, and when I look back at that musical, I am still very very proud," Candice told Torrie.

 _ **Some women are like Candice, they really don't care about the critiques. Others are like Torrie, they really do care and worry about the critiques. But somehow, these two types of women meet up in the middle to support one another.**_

Torrie had her face shoved in her pillow. Candice picked up Torrie's book and placed it right next to Torrie's body, "Now, you will get up and stop crying like a little baby and you will go out there and promote the hell out of this book," Candice demanded.

Torrie thought it through and eventually picked herself up from the misery.

* * *

After stopping by Torrie's place, Candice walked around the block in search of a cab. Candice had her giant striped sun-hat on and her sunglasses shielded her eyes, but she couldn't shield away from running into an ex.

She was on her phone, refreshing her Instagram feed, when she accidentally bumped into a man. "Ugh, watch it," Candice told the man off.

"Candice, it's me, Cody," the man revealed himself. Candice nearly dropped her phone, she looked up and hoped that he would disappear if she just didn't acknowledge him.

 _ **Candice got married within her first year in the city, she had been married to the same man for nearly a decade, so running into an ex in the big city was a first for her.**_

She extended her arm out to half hug her ex, "Uh, what are you doing here," Candice asked.

"Well, I was stopping by for practice... I was actually cast for a new musical," Cody told her, "But what are you doing here, why aren't you over at the Hamptons?"

"From what I've been hearing, you are being called the 'Hamptons Princess'," Cody let her know, "Remembering our old club days is funny, because you were all broken and you were just trying to fit in with the younger crowd, but now, well now you've invented your own clubs and everybody else is following you now, I find that fucking impressive!"

Candice flipped her hair to the side, like a proud diva. "Thank you, I'm quite the accomplished trend-setter," Candice said.

 _ **'Running into an ex isn't that bad' Candice thought for just one second, until he shit on her day.**_

"I'm not done, at first your parties were the shit and I actually considered attending one... until I also heard that you were now using the 'Hamptons King'... possibly for his money maybe," Cody added.

Candice put her sunglasses back on and gave him the hand. "Whatever, it was nice seeing you Cody." Cody shook his head as she walked away from him, "I'm just warning you, he doesn't care about you! He's using you to further his own social status with the younger crowd, and you're using him for his mansion, let's get real Candice," Cody yelled, but Candice kept on walking.

* * *

The day was just getting hotter and hotter. Ashley was sipping her cold green tea, when she heard somebody at the door.

She opened the door to find the guy she had been sexting, Ashley was surprised to see him in person, she totally forgot that they were going to meet up.

 _ **His name was David Otung. He was a realtor and he owned his own apartment in the Upper West Side, he had a perfect golden retriever, and he wore checkered vests with suit pants casually.**_

"Right, I told you to come, well come in," Ashley said. He right away took off his little purple checkered vest, he then unbuttoned his shirt and began kissing Ashley.

It could've been hot, except he was a really bad kisser. David began unbuttoning his pants and he took off his shoes, within minutes the man welcomed himself onto Ashley's bed completely naked.

Ashley was still fully dressed, in fact, she even still had her green tea in her hand the entire time. She put it by the counter and began getting undressed, expecting this big man to please her the way he promised.

 _ **This man was known as a 'talker'- a man who talks a lot, but never does the walk. He says too much, but never has enough to back it up.**_

What Ashley expected to be sexy only lasted about eight minutes. He had no rhythm, didn't know where to sick it, just laid on top like a fish, and finished way too fast. The best part was him finishing so fast, Ashley was just waiting for it to end.

"Damn, that was so hot," David said, all sweaty and satisfied. Meanwhile, Ashley was holding in the laughter. It was so bad...

* * *

From horrible sex to horrible reviews, Torrie headed out to her first stop in the tour to promoting her book. It wasn't just any quick stop, she had to take the subway down to the Bronx.

She took the _D Train_ , then forty minutes later found herself on _161st Street_ , also known as the street that holds the legendary _Yankee's Stadium_.

Torrie had a little book stand next to all the food carts inside. She had a stack of books on her small table, a few pens to sign the books, a little box for the money, and a banner above her head.

She waited for about an hour, nobody even took a glance at her stand, except for a drunk man who thought she was 'gorgeously gorgeous'.

 _ **Torrie waited and waited and waited, until she eventually just bought herself a cheeseburger and watched the Yankees play the Angels from the monitor screen across from her.**_

After the game, a Yankee player came out into the lobby of the stadium. Everybody watched in awe, they were starstruck, including Torrie.

The man turned around, looking for something, anything. He purchased a hot dog and a _Pepsi_ cola and then noticed Torrie standing there with an empty stand.

He walked to her and said, "Hi, I'm Seth, Seth Rollins," he introduced himself. Torrie nodded along while smiling, "Yes, I am aware of that, huge fan by the way and you played a really really great game," Torrie told him.

He stared at her, normally, Torrie would feel uncomfortable, but he was a Yankee and therefore she was flattered. "I'd like to buy a book please," Seth proposed.

 _ **And suddenly everything turned around for Torrie, everybody else rushed to buy a book too, if a Yankee will, why the hell wouldn't they?**_

"Thank you," Torrie worded to him. He smiled and off he went, Torrie sold about four boxes worth of books that day- which roughly carried hundreds of books, possibly even up to thousands.

* * *

Life can be funny sometimes and on that particular day life would pull off a little joke on Ashley. After hearing the man go on and on about how good they were in bed Ashley nagged him towards the door, when suddenly her mother barged in through the front door.

"Mom, what are you doing here," Ashley asked. Ashley's mom was not alone though, David's mom was coincedentally friends with Ashley's mom.

Another woman walked in, David was surprised to see his mother there. "Mom, what are you doing here," he asked too.

Sable grabbed her daughter by the head and kissed her on the forehead, "Oh sweetie, I just came to have some girl talk with my friend... but I didn't know you were friends with her son, wow, how funny is that," Sable exclaimed while giggling.

 _ **It was like a play-date, but with sex.**_

Sable's heart started jumping for her daughter. "Oh please tell me you two are more than friends, imagine that Lindsay, our children getting together," Sable gushed on and on about.

"This is my life," Ashley cried out under her breath.

Sable sat down with the wine and Lindsay, "Come on you two love-birds, join us," she insisted. The two sat by their mother's sides, like two little children.

* * *

The sun was loud and bright, orange and deep. It was a beautiful sunset, shining down on the Hamptons.

Candice and the Hamptons King laid side by side, tanning in the backyard, with their sunglasses on and a piña colada in each hand. Cody's accusations were getting the best of Candice, she couldn't stop thinking about his comments.

She turned to the Hamptons King and right up asked him, "Do you think I'm using you?" He chuckled, "Why wouldn't you be? I have a mansion, where else can you throw your parties for free and I have every drink available in my place," he replied to her surprise.

 _ **But that's how he was, he had his life together and he knew what he wanted, he was the male version of Candice. And they were both playing the play in this game.**_

"Are you using me," she proceeded to ask. He chuckled again, "Of course, the Hamptons King can easily be replaced, my peak was in the 90s.. but I've managed to keep myself on top of the Hamptons social scale by associating myself with younger hot-shots, many who disappear after only a few summers, and well, this summer you're that hot-shot," he explained to her.

And then suddenly Candice felt more confident. "Well this hot-shot won't be disappearing after only a few summers," Candice let him know. "And cheers to us, for being smart savvy party people!"

He raised his drink up, "To the Hamptons King... and to the Hamptons Queen dare I say," he cheered.

 _ **She moved in with him later that week, just to throw her critics off.**_

The two laid back and they let the sun tan them ever-so gorgeously.

* * *

Torrie still couldn't believe a _Yankee_ bought her book. After selling many books, she walked out all amazed, but the _Yankee_ was just about to amaze her even more. Before she could leave, he began walking towards her with a smile.

"What do you say to us walking around the stadium to just talk," Seth suggested. Torrie couldn't turn him down, he was a _Yankee_ for crying out loud.

The two started walking around the stadium, "Hopefully I didn't sound arrogant, like 'Oh I'm a professional athlete, I expect every girl to fall in love'... I just really wanted to talk to you, you're a writer and it's a logical rule that writers have interesting minds," he told her.

Torrie chuckled, "It's fine, believe me," she insisted, "Well, first, tell me about you."

 _ **Torrie forgot about those bad reviews because she was freaking talking to a Yankee. This Yankee was very cute and their conversation went so well she forgot about all of her troubles, plus he bought a book and if a Yankee approves... well, that's quite something.**_

"I'm a guy, who might seem tough on the outside, but I'm actually quite emotional," Seth admitted. Torrie loved the sound of that, a man in touch with his emotions. "What about you, tell me about you and this book of your's," he asked.

"This book covered my love life in the past year, and the critics are calling it 'generic'... I didn't know my life could be 'generic', but I guess a woman looking for love is just considered cliche... now I don't know who I am and I've been thinking about just getting rid of my heart and all of my emotions honestly," she explained to him.

For the first time, she admitted that out loud and she came to a realization. The two continued walking on the grassy stadium, they talked for hours and they even exchanged numbers.

It was the best conversation, and Torrie finally found a new man that would surely give her new chapters for her long story.

 _ **Just when Torrie was beginning to doubt her beliefs and desires, this man pulled her out of a possible retirement from the game.**_

* * *

Ashley's play date was going on for far too long now, she was tired and just wanted a juice-box(alcoholic beverage). Sable tried getting the two to flirt, but Ashley turned away to her phone.

"Ashley, dear, get off that damn phone and have a conversation with your good-looking man friend," Sable demanded from her daughter. Ashley rolled her eyes and pulled her towards the kitchen, "Can I talk to you in private mother," Ashley said.

"What's the matter, are you in love with him... please tell me you are," Sable asked, all excited and what not. "No mother, we had sex, through an app and he was terrible in bed," Ashley whispered to her mother.

 _ **Sable wanted her daughter to score so badly, but it just wasn't Ashley's season.**_

Sable shook her head and put her hand over Ashley's mouth. "Shh, they can hear you!" Sable then motioned back to the living room, "You will sit with him and have a conversation, didn't you hear Lindsay, he is a great man... Ashley, dear, you'll never find somebody if you're all picky," Sable advised her.

"No mom, I will continue to be picky because I want to find the right one... he doesn't have to be perfect, but I'm also not gonna settle for less and that man out there isn't the one... trust me, I'm done wasting my time," Ashley explained.

The mother and son could hear from the living room at that point, "He's really a great man," the mother told them. "See, they can hear us," Sable warned Ashley.

"I don't care, I've had better sex with a lesbian! And somehow he actually thought he was good... get him out of my place now," Ashley demanded. Sable had never seen her daughter being so direct, she gasped. "Ashley?"

"I mean it mom, I'm not the same little lonely girl... trust me, I'm right, I know where I'm going, even if I seem lonely in this phase of my life," Ashley insisted.

Sable ran off with her friend and her friend's son.

* * *

 _ **The next morning in the City, the three girls met for brunch at our same little place.**_

"I met a Yankee," Torrie exclaimed. Candice clapped for her, "Well see, I told you things would get better," Candice said.

Torrie shrugged, "Well, my book is still getting horrible reviews, but the sales aren't bad thanks to the Yankee," Torrie told them.

"Which one," Ashley asked. "Seth Rollins," Torrie replied.

"Just a little heads up, a professional athlete isn't husband material... trust me," Ashley told her from her own experience of sleeping with a _Knicks_ player. "I don't know, for the first time since I first dated Brock one year ago, I haven't felt this feeling of freshness in my love life... I almost lost my optimism in love, until I chatted with him all night last night," Torrie revealed.

 _ **Torrie really did feel right in the game she was playing.**_

"Well, you do you! Because, that's who you are, you believe and you go all in with your optimistic loving heart," Ashley responded, "But that's not me, I thought therapy was teaching me to really put my walls down and just give people a try... but bullshit, I had to sleep with a guy who is bad in bed... I'm not doing that anymore, and I don't care if I sound like an angry person, I deserve better and I will only bring my walls down when that man does eventually come along," Ashley declared.

Candice clapped for the two, "Well, you can now say that you have a friend who lives in a Hamptons mansion.. now clap for me," Candice told them.

"You said that about your penthouse a decade ago, and believe me, your penthouse has never came up whenever I talk about you to my other friends... not that I have many other friends," Ashley said laughing. Torrie and Candice laughed, then turned to their sub sandwiches.

 _ **And then suddenly the girls stayed silent, not wanting to acknowledge my absence. Similar to how I didn't want to acknowledge their's.**_

"It's so weird not having Michelle here," Ashley finally blurted out. "Yeah, but hey, she's missed a few brunches before... I have too, you have too, not all of us can always make it to brunch," Torrie told her.

"No honey, I think she means just in general. The city feels different without Michelle's presence... I know, there's more than eight million people in this city, but it just feels different," Candice said.

 ** _The game was changing for all of us._**

* * *

Away from the twinkling city and across the Hudson River, in Kearny New Jersey, Michelle found herself in her new little home. It wasn't as small as her apartment in New York, but it felt smaller for some reason. It wasn't an apartment, but a house with a front lawn and a backyard and neighbors who even knew each other's names.

Michelle finally had all of her things in the new place, it took forever, but everything was there. Before unpacking, the two cooked a dinner together. They sat down on the kitchen floor, watching the local news from the living room and feeling the quiet peace of the town take over them.

Afterwards, the married couple started fixing their new place up. It had two rooms and one bathroom, it was a simple one story home.

The rooms were all fairly simple, just plain white walls and a small closet, with a rectangular window looking out into the backyard.

Michelle was so used to having a little black metal fire escape outside of her window, she was so used to the raindrops that would drip from that little black railing. She was also used to always seeing the apartments right across from her. There was one in particular that brought comfort to Michelle- nobody was ever there, a white fake lily stood on a white counter in that lonely apartment and some books were all stacked up by that petite lily, with a little mirror right near it. It was peaceful looking into that apartment and knowing that nothing would ever change.

Anyway, the backyard was also fairly simple. It had yellow grass, which Jack promised he would turn green, and a wooden fence surrounding it, oh and a shed in the corner.

 _ **The home wasn't pretty, but it wasn't lonely. Part of the game is learning how to adapt, because nothing ever stays the same.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Cody Rhodes, David Otunga, Seth Rollins, Sable, 'Hamptons King', and Jack Swagger.**

 **Published On June 29, 2016.**


	11. When The Shoe Don't Fit

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 11: When The Shoe Don't Fit**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **New Jersey is very pretty, but not every pretty shoe fits every woman.**_

In a city that wasn't New York City, and not even a city but a town, Michelle walked down in a rush. A part of her was so used to always being in a rush on the streets, but something about that little town in New Jersey was telling her to slow down a little.

Michelle always liked having breakfast at the little bodega by the corner of her apartment, and instead of having lunch she would have brunch at the same little diner place with her girls. But things change, they have to, and so Michelle went along to find a new place to have breakfast at. She turned to the street in search of a cab, but the streets were nearly empty, the few cars on the streets were all filled with soccer moms dropping off their kids at school.

 _ **They say you can never take the country out of the country girl, but the saying for a city girl is a little different- "You can never take the city out of a city girl because she would never leave in the first place, and if she does, it's cause she jumped in a cab not knowing where she was really being taken to."**_

Michelle thought about calling an uber, at one point she even thought about taking the bus. She was even beginning to miss the subway. Michelle walked back home and ate a bowl of cereal instead, it was a knock-off of _Lucky Charms._ Meanwhile she watched the local news to feel more connected to the town of Kearny, but the connection wasn't strong.

* * *

 _ **After many failed dates and hookups, Ashley was done with the dating app world. Until one sunny day, when she found the gold after going through so much coal.**_

Ashley was intrigued by this man's smile, he had a very bright smile. They chatted and finally decided to plan a date.

They met up at a Japanese restaurant, _Ootoya,_ in Greenwich Village. He had a beanie and a flannel, converse, and a pair of jeans- very casual. Ashley turned to look at him, she felt so overdressed... which was a first for her.

"Woah, you look stunning," he told her. She smiled, "Well, I'm not usually dressed like this," she let him know. Ashley was wearing her 'go-to dress', it was a black poofy dress that reached right above her knees, it had mint-colored polka dots on it. She had to have a 'go-to dress', because guys liked perfect. It was refreshing for Ashley to meet a guy who didn't seem like a try-hard or a fake.

He sat down and instantly got back up, "Oh no, Oh no," he started panicking. "I forgot my wallet," he told her.

 _ **Normally Ashley would have offered to pay, but she left her wallet because of those same old dating rules that a woman shouldn't even carry money.**_

"I left my wallet too," she told him. The two looked at each other and laughed, "My place isn't too far away from here, it's down in Brooklyn," he said and the two booked it.

* * *

After having her _Lucky Charms_ wannabe, Michelle had nothing else to do in her home. She had the day off from work and Jack was off at work, the only man around was Jersey.

Michelle never really had any male friends, other than Mark, so she didn't want to take the time to meet Jersey. Instead she went off to meet her female neighbor, who lived with all of her family and happened to be home too. Michelle knew she was home because she would always see her walking around from the kitchen window.

Michelle walked over and knocked softly, after only a few seconds the woman opened the door. "Why hello, you must be the new neighbor, nice to meet you," the woman joyfully exclaimed with her thick Jersey accent.

 _ **Her name was Taryn, Taryn Terrell. She had an innocent face, with a simple view on the world around her. She had blonde locks, she wore a cute flannel, and she had chickens.**_

"Wow, look at you, all dressed up... where ya going? The doctor's," Taryn asked. Michelle laughed, until she realized it was a real question.

"Oh no, this is how I always dress," she told her. "Come meet my chickens," she randomly blurted out. Michelle wanted to fit in, so she went at her own risk.

"So these are the little guys," Michelle asked, trying to keep a distance from the chickens.

 _ **I always hated chickens, ever since I was a little girl, but I had to bargain to try and make a new friend because I love friends, ever since I was a little girl. Friends are like the perfect pair of shoes.**_

Taryn picked one up and handed it to Michelle, "She's gorgeous isn't she!" Michelle nodded, "Of course," she insisted.

Taryn eventually brought out a glass of lemonade for Michelle and the two got to talking.

 ** _Her drink was lemonade, mine was a Cosmo... but I can't complain, the connection was there._**

* * *

Away from Jersey and over in the summertime breezy Hamptons Candice prepared herself for a party that would top all of her other parties. Ever since aligning herself with the Hamptons King, rumors of her being a gold-digger were beginning to spread around and Candice knew the only way to shut them down was to be better than them and blow them out of the water.

The Hamptons King's mansion was covered in Jewels and prestigious gems. Everything looked so glossy and glamorous.

 _ **The party was 'Royal Themed'. It only made sense that the Hamptons King and the newly Hamptons Queen would eventually end up throwing a party with such theme.**_

Candice ordered four men in shining armor to guard the front door, it was too hot for them to be in full costume, so Candice spiced it up by painting them silver and allowing them to be naked. So four naked men painted all silver guarded the front door, all very physically appealing just like the transformed mansion.

Candice removed all of the exotic and beachy decor out of the house, she replaced everything with high-class glass and linen. Everything was very British and fancy.

 ** _Candice thought about inviting Queen Elizabeth... but that idea came to her when she was drunk, eventually she realized it was unrealistic. And even more unrealistic was her idea to invite Princess Diana._**

The hostess wore a _Valentino_ white gown that reached all the way to her feet, she wore silver heels, a diamond choker, and she wore wavy extensions. Her outfit was almost a hybrid of 'bride' and ' _JLo_ '. The shining jewel of it all was the crown, literally- crystals and rhinestones.

Every little detail was very classy. It was a black-tie event, quite the fancy event of the summer. She poured herself a mimosa and took a few shots before firing the party.

Hundreds of people showed up, all dressed and ready to take a sip of Candice's golden summer party. Candice and the Hamptons King greeted everybody by the door, the crowd all bowed and when the music hit they all moved and grooved.

* * *

 _ **When a woman finds the right shoe that looks and fits so wonderful she'll go on and on about it. When Torrie and I talked on the phone she went on and on about this Yankee, Seth Rollins. According to her, they were really hitting it off and out of the park.**_

"So apparently my publicist thinks I have the potential to be featured in a _Powerade_ advertisement, she even scheduled up a commercial for me to be featured in... but I just don't know," Seth told Torrie.

Torrie tried acting casual about it, but the statement was so out of her world. "Well I think so too, you helped my book sell more... I'm sure you can also promote a sports drink the same way," Torrie told him.

Seth was about to respond, when suddenly three women ran towards him screaming. "Oh my god, Seth, Seth," they all yelled. The oldest was the mother and the other two were young college women, "We love you, my daughters almost didn't come because they had school... 'like whatever' I told them, 'we might end up meeting a _Yankee_ '... and we did," the mother exclaimed joyously.

 _ **And then suddenly Torrie realized they were both in very different parks. The pair of shoes she wanted fit... but they were out of her price range.**_

Torrie stood aside while Seth signed the women's jerseys, "Have a good one," Seth said. The three quickly squeezed in with him for a picture, they handed Torrie the camera. "Okay, say cheese," Torrie told them as the camera flashed.

"Thanks, we love you, and good luck on this season," they exclaimed as they walked off.

Seth and Torrie stayed silent for a while. "So that's your life," Torrie finally said. Seth nodded and shrugged, they kept on walking around the Stadium and Torrie couldn't help but wonder how insanely out of her league he was.

* * *

 _ **It seemed as though Ashley found her right pair of shoes too. The man was Enzo Amore, he was the guy who Ashley had been talking to for weeks through a dating app. They're bond seemed very imaginative, but when they met in person everything felt so real.**_

"Well, here's my dang wallet," Enzo said as he picked it up and waved it around all frustrated. "Let's just not have a freaking date at some boring ass restaurant... let's just stay in and make that our first date," Ashley suggested.

He smiled. "I'll order pizza," he proclaimed.

 _ **The two fit perfectly. He was like the sock to her shoe.**_

"I don't want to seem like a poser or anything... but can I play for you on my guitar," he asked. Ashley was not going to stop him, she sat on his bed waiting.

He ran to his closet and pulled it out, "What song do you want me to play," he asked her. Ashley didn't even have to think about it, " _Iris_ by the _Goo Goo Dolls_ ," she responded.

Enzo shook his head, "I don't know that song actually," he admitted. Ashley shrugged it off, "Okay, what about ' _Wonderwall'_ ," Ashley suggested. And so Enzo played that classic _Oasis_ song.

Ashley watched him play that guitar so artistically and his entire apartment was so artistically pleasing too, even the pizza boxes that laid on the floor of his apartment got her feeling some type of nostalgic way. She then got up and walked towards a blank painting canvas he had set up, "May I," Ashley asked and he nodded. She begin to paint a starry sky while he played guitar, the two took breaks in between to smoke and chat.

 _ **It wasn't a cliche date by any standards, but it was definitely a cliche Brooklyn night. Painting, pizza, guitar, cigarettes- that screamed Brooklyn. Ashley felt so comfortable and the night was most definitely her heavenly oasis.**_

* * *

 ** _I also had a very cliche Jersey Summer night._**

Michelle had a temptation to call her friends, but she chose not to and instead went out with her newest friend. Taryn insisted on taking her down to 'The Shore', specifically Seaside Heights.

 _ **Ashley in Brooklyn, Candice in The Hamptons, Torrie in The Bronx... and me in Seaside Heights, where that MTV show with all those overly tanned trashy people was located.**_

"Let's go down to the shops on the pier," Taryn exclaimed and Michelle followed.

Michelle moved uneasily and Taryn noticed. "Yes, this place is negatively portrayed in the media or whatever... but darling when it's your home you know the truth and it's core, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than here, especially in the summertime," Taryn told her. "And no we ain't getting no spray tan... I can't stand spray tans, it leaves your skin all sticky and smelly," Taryn added.

 _ **I got no fake tan, I wasn't involved in no Italian mobster activity, or any angry fights... just a nice walk with a new friend down the pier. Forgetting about the stereotypes and forgetting about what I had left behind, Jersey felt like a true friend in that moment.**_

As they entered the little shop Michelle tried keeping a positive outlook, but everything was so tacky. Cheetah prints, overly designed accessories, and cheesy muscle t-shirts. So they went on to the next shop.

Then suddenly Michelle fell in love- the shop had snacks, accessories, makeup, and even clothing combined in that store... but not in a tacky way. The snacks were all delicious, the accessories were cute, the makeup was okay, and the clothing was well crafted. Cheap, but cute and tasteful.

Soon, Michelle had her bags too. Taryn then took Michelle out to Funtown Pier. "I don't care where you come from or who you are, you're gonna fall in love with Funtown Pier... it is like a colorful fair that just always leaves a nostalgic memory in your mind," Taryn explained to her.

 _ **And she was right, I will never forget Funtown Pier or that night in Jersey. New Jersey sure gave it to me, it was a shoe I would've never thought I would end up wearing.**_

* * *

 _ **And in the Hamptons a different feeling was brewing, an enemy instead of a friend. Wade showed up to Candice's party, his girlfriend was invited by a friend who was invited by another friend that the Hamptons King had invited and Wade of course had to be her plus one.**_

The fabulous party hostess was taking a sip of her pink champagne, when suddenly the buzz on her phone notified her of a new message. She put her drink down and opened up the message, which was from Wade and it read- _I'm at your party, turn around_

Candice felt a hurricane rumble instantaneously in her stomach, she turned around and there he was waving. "Dumb bitch," she said under her breath. She rushed to him to confront him, "What are you doing here," she asked her ex-husband.

"You throw a hell of a good party, and you get a free mansion to do so... it's no wonder Brooklyn worries about what you do in your free time," Wade said. "Excuse me, what I do is none of your business and you have no right to confront me or lecture me on my lifestyle at my own party. After all, you did take Brooklyn away from me twice, do you expect me to sit on my ass all day waiting," Candice shot back at him.

"I'm just saying, you need to think about Brooklyn," he advised her, "Drinking like an alcoholic and throwing parties at some man's mansion, which I heard you now live in too, spending thousands of dollars on all of this... that's not necessarily what a mother should be doing with her free time."

 _ **The royal queen wasn't so royal after that, she ended up throwing it down and getting a little dirty. I guess the Hamptons was acting more like 'Jersey Shore' than actual Jersey.**_

Candice turned away from him to get her drink and without thinking she fired the drink in his face, "Get out of my fucking party and don't ever come back, tell your girlfriend to check the damn invitation next time and if she sees my name on it she better know to stay away," Candice yelled at Wade.

Wade didn't have time to confront Candice or even wipe the drink off of his face, a security guard pulled him by the arm. His girlfriend followed and that was the end of it.

 _ **Off with his head!**_

* * *

Torrie was running in a league right below Seth, but that league obviously didn't exist to Seth because he told her that he liked her in a cab while going to the Bronx park.

 ** _Torrie lost her head too._**

Seth wanted to take her to the Bronx park to teach her how to bat, Torrie agreed because he was a _Yankee_ and because she kind of liked him too. He stood right behind her, with his hands on her's. "Okay, now swing and always keep your arms like this," he advised her. Seth ran a couple feet from Torrie, he prepared the baseball and then pitched it to her as carefully as he could.

She swung, but missed. "I'm bad at this," Torrie apologized. "No, you're doing fine," he promised her.

Seth again pitched and Torrie missed by a lot. At one point she even accidentally let go of the bat, but injured nobody.

 _ **Torrie felt judged by Seth, and she didn't blame him if he was judging. He was a professional baseball player after all.**_

"I'm sorry, I am terrible," she cried out. He chuckled, "You look cute trying, even if you're terrible," he replied. Torrie smiled.

Eventually, after many tries, Torrie finally did hit the ball successfully. It flew over the Bronx River and it hit a man on the back, "Oh no!" Torrie and Seth look at each other, ready to either apologize or run.

The man turned around all angry, so Seth grabbed Torrie by the arm and he ran with her. "Well it was a good hit," he told her as the two laughed.

 _ **And then suddenly Torrie saw he was not out of her league, in fact, they were playing on the same team.**_

* * *

After kicking out her ex-husband and his girlfriend from her party, Canidce needed a little refreshing drink to simmer down a little.. ironically.

 _ **It was photoshoot time, a queen is always busy. Candice had been so busy planning the party, being the jewel of the party, and then kicking out her ex-husband that she forgot she had a photoshoot with the Hamptons King for the 'Hamptons Magazine'.**_

Candice drank her fruity margarita while a makeup artist touched her up real quick. The guests continued partying, but a small space by the pool was reserved for just Candice and the Hamptons King. A rack of designer branded clothes were brought in, Candice picked out a _Prada_ white dress with a gold belt, some black sharp _Louis Vuittons_ , and some _Channel_ sunglasses. The Hamptons King had on a striped blue button-up shirt, some white chinos, a pair of black _Michael Kors_ dressing shoes, and a shiny silver _Rollex_.

The makeup artist quickly worked on Candice's hair by putting in some additional extensions that made her look like a Greek goddess, she bronzed and highlighted her face. Candice was illuminating with a _JLo_ glow and the fan behind the cameras made her hair all wavy.

 _ **Candice was the true diva, posing by the pool with a wealthy man by her side (whom she wasn't even sleeping with), a mansion in the background, and young attractive party people hanging around the scene.**_

The flash of the cameras blinded Candice more than Wade's words, but she always found her solid footing on the ground and with this photoshoot the entire beach community would know her as the 'Hamptons Queen'. Candice put her arms around the Hamptons King's neck, she tilted her head back and let her hair fall naturally into the fan-blown wind. Looking directly at the camera with a sexy pout, Candice felt so fine.

 _ **Candice felt so right and fierce, she even ended up calling Wade to apologize for the drink in his face... but never for the drink that went down her throat or any other aspect of her lifestyle. She was the socialite, the Hamptons queen, the diva, and everything in between that involved Prada and drinks.**_

* * *

 _ **And another woman trying out a shoe that just fit so right was weren't Prada, but they were right.**_

The two went out for some late-night coffee after playing guitar and painting. They got back home pretty late, Ashley was heading for the door when Enzo pulled her by the hand.

"Do you wanna just look at the moon," he asked her. The idea was cheesy, but Ashley couldn't resist. "Fine then, but make it worth the while," she teased.

The two ran off, like two young teenagers in love. They ran towards the Brooklyn Bridge park, laughing and feeling that special night sink into their skin and burn as a memory in their mind forever. "I like to look at the moon, I'm not gonna lie," Ashley admitted.

He turned to her in surprise, "I do too," he responded sarcastically. The two picked a spot on the grass and they laid back, "I think we need some music too," he suggested and then started playing _'Iris'_ by the _Goo Goo Dolls_ on his phone. He grabbed a pair of headphones and shared them with her.

Ashley couldn't help but laugh, it was all too cheesy and perfect.

 _ **Looking at the moon while listening to Iris was so cliche, but that particular cliche and cheesy romantic night didn't pinch Ashley's feet... it felt just right and it looked pretty. It's like a tomboy discovering heels.**_

The moon was glowing in the dark skies, all the little stars were hidden, but the moon was so bright and the city around lit up in yellow color too. Ashley and Enzo held hands and just watched the moon, they then began talking about its magic and its wonders. Soon enough they were talking about the rest of the galaxy, then their beliefs, then their dreams and fears.

 _ **For the first time, the love was mutual and very real for Ashley.**_

* * *

 _ **New Jersey felt like New York that night, it comforted me the way New York did for more than a decade and it gave me something that I could keep in my memory. Jersey didn't feel so out of place now that I was getting used to it.**_

Michelle finally got home, it was only just 10 PM. The television was on, _The Office_ was playing in the background. After a fun night with a new friend, who also happened to be the neighbor, Michelle was excited to tell Jack everything... but he was all asleep on the couch.

He was covered up with a blanket, he didn't need Michelle. She stared at him and then looked around the blank house, and then sighed under her breath.

 _ **Maybe it was never Jersey that didn't fit... maybe it was this marriage. I was beginning to feel a drag on our relationship.**_

Michelle tapped him on the shoulder, "Hey, let's take you to bed," she whispered to him as she helped him up. He didn't take the hand she stuck out for him, he got himself up and went to bed without really even acknowledging her.

"So I had fun tonight, I'm really starting to like this place," Michelle told him. Jack was too tired to even listen, "Talk to me tomorrow, I'm too tired right now," he shut her down.

Michelle stayed behind, which was one of her fears right from the beginning of that marriage.

 _ **The shoe wasn't fitting, it never did and it never will. I tried so hard squeezing my feet into those shoes... but they just weren't for me and the worst part was realizing that in the middle of the night at a place miles and miles away from the place and everything else I left behind.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Enzo Amore, Taryn 'Tiffany' Tarrell, Hamptons King, Seth Rollins, Wade Barrett, and Jack Swagger.**

 **Published On July 7, 2016.**


	12. Cabs Or Cars?

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 12: Cabs Or Cars?**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **I took a driving class back in the 90s when I was a teenager, but when I moved to New York I never thought I'd be driving again. I was naive to think that even a cab would be there for me forever, waiting.**_

Jack insisted Michelle started driving, to get around on her own. After passing her driver's written exam, Jack helped Michelle prepare for her behind-the-wheel testing.

Michelle was beginning to get a hang of it, but she was a little rusty in some areas. Reversing and parking were difficult for her.

Before taking out the car onto the streets Jack would take the car out from the driveway, then Michelle would trade in and take the wheel. But this time around, Jack let Michelle take the car out from the driveway.

While backing out Michelle nearly hit the tree in their front yard, she turned the wheel to early and went on to the grassy field instead of on the road. The car was just a few feet away from hitting the tree, she quickly hit the breaks and stopped the car.

 _ **And that is why I am glad that New York had no fucking trees near the streets, all of the trees were gathered up in the parks, not on the fucking streets.**_

Jack yelled, "Michelle, what the hell, you have to be careful!"

Michelle tried fixing her mess by putting the car on 'Drive' and moving it forward, but it was no use. The car was stuck between the tree and the garage, Michelle felt hopeless.

She turned off the car and rested her head on the wheel. "I can't do this, I didn't sign up for this," Michelle cried out.

"What are you talking about," Jack asked her.

She lifted her head up and told him, "This, our marriage has lost the excitement... I had a boyfriend before you and I left him because I thought he was the type who just wanted to rush to the destination and give up the exciting moments that come before on the journey! You were the opposite, but somehow you changed because to me it seems like you just want to lock me in to settle down!"

Jack didn't know she was feeling that way. "And by the way, I'm a New Yorker... don't expect me to be excited about driving," she told him.

 _ **Ironically, you don't have control over the wheel of a cab, but for me cabs stand for freedom and they represent the excitement within a journey.**_

* * *

 _ **Some women prefer yachts over cabs to really escape from the reality.**_

Candice spent an entire week trying to come up with a new idea, but she had run out of ideas... until the Hamptons King offered his yacht this time. And that was the breakthrough moment, this next party would be thrown on a yacht instead of a mansion and it would be ' _Gatsby_ themed'.

It was still morning, so the waters were cold and crystal blue. The skies were so perfectly blue too, with a few white clouds here and there. The set of _The Great Gatsby_ party was imitated on the yacht. The Hamptons King kept calling himself 'the 21st Century _Gatsby_ ' and Candice would nod along, but she knew very well it was the other way around.

 _ **Candice called herself 'the Hamptons Queen' and now she was adding a new title, 'the female version of Gatsby'.**_

* * *

Michelle stayed in the backyard for a while after her heated meltdown, the winds were nice and relaxing. It was a simple backyard, but it was her favorite part of the house because she got some time alone to think.

She finally went back in to find Jack sitting on the couch, waiting for her. "I'm sorry, about earlier," she apologized.

He got up and shrugged, "Let's go, my family is waiting," he replied, ignoring her apology.

 _ **Some were throwing parties at the Hamptons on a yacht, while others like me were heading off to a BBQ. However, the older you get, the more you began to not care about the little moments in the journey... even if some of the moments aren't fabulous... as long as you learn.**_

Michelle went off to put on a different outfit, but Jack stopped her. "You look fine, lets go," he demanded, with a very monotone voice.

She didn't know what to do, but Jack was already in the car by the time she turned around to tell him that dressing up was a part of her. So Michelle went off with a plain old tank top, a simple pair of blue jeans, and some random sandals.

 _ **It was a tragedy, no accessories! And most importantly, no freedom to really be myself.**_

* * *

 _ **Freedom for a woman is tricky, because when you're head over heels for a guy you don't really notice when he steals your independence.**_

Torrie was already beginning to write her next book, she had planned it over the course of the past few months and was in the early stages of writing it.

Seth had a baseball in his hand, he was tossing it up and down, all bored. Him and Torrie were beginning to get closer and closer, so he was over at her place often. Seth stepped outside to take a call, he then came back in with a smile.

"Do you wanna be my date to a party, it's an exclusive party for us players," he told Torrie. Torrie wanted to say no, but she could tell that he wanted her to go with him.

She motioned towards her laptop and he got the clue, she was busy with her writing.

"Well, if you come with me as a date it'll make what we have official," he told her. Torrie's head was now beginning to spin, but she went with her gut.

"Sorry, I have a book to start," she let him down gently.

 _ **In that moment Seth felt like Torrie hopped on a bus to run him over.**_

Seth fell to the couch, with his hands over his face. "Why can't you just give me a chance," he cried out, "I really thought we were hitting it off, but I feel like you don't see me as boyfriend material because I'm a _Yankee_."

Torrie wasn't expecting a _Yankee_ to cry on her couch, it was new for her. Torrie went over to him, "You are boyfriend material and we were hitting it off, I guess it won't hurt to go to a party... after all, it is summer," she comforted him.

 _ **For some reason the crying hurt men always come to Torrie, so of course Torrie had to make room for him.**_

* * *

 _ **After watching the moon for nights and talking all throughout those nights, Ashley and Enzo were going strong and quite fast too. They weren't officially a couple, but Ashley could feel them getting there soon.**_

Just yesterday marked one week for them, but Ashley was already introducing him to his mother. Sable was surprised when Ashley called her for brunch, usually Ashley never invited her anywhere and brunches were a sacred event between Ashley and her friends... but she insisted on inviting her mother.

Sable was just happy to be there, and when Ashley came through the doors all dressed up Sable got excited. However, out of everything, Sable was more surprised and excited to see Ashley with a man.

Ashley waved from the door, Sable waved back while getting a good look at Ashley's man-friend.

"Mom, this is Enzo, the guy I've been seeing and Enzo this is my mother," she introduced them to one another. Both Enzo and Sable were not expecting what Ashley had planned, they both thought it would just be any other old brunch.

 _ **Brunches are the new dinners, so Ashley was very serious about this Enzo guy. I had just one question- Was she going too fast? Was she trying to rush to the destination like Jack?**_

"So how are you," Enzo finally broke the silence. And soon Sable and Enzo were beginning to converse, Ashley was surprised that her mother wasn't more happy for her.

* * *

Summer wouldn't be the same without Candice's extravagant parties, and the guests were all reminded of that by the giant posters of Candice and the Hamptons King that were set up all over the yacht. The _Hamptons Magazine_ did a feature on Candice and the Hamptons King's parties, the magazine finally came out and Candice was ready to indulge herself in herself.

The magazine did not impress Candice, right away it started on a negative note. She was judged for her lifestyle and her past was revealed (somehow they knew all of the details of her past). They called her 'desperate' and 'superficial', it wasn't what Candice expected. She thought the magazine would rave about her, but they shot her down in two full-length spreads and rarely did they bring up the Hamptons King's past.

 _ **Candice wanted to escape, even from that paradise she had invented through her parties. She didn't care if it was a cab or a car, she just wanted to escape.**_

 _'How did this 41 year old mother spiral down such a dark hole?'_ \- the headline read. Right below that bold headline, there was a subtitle and it read- _'From happily married mother, to sad and lonely alcoholic.'_

Candice read over the article, but her eyes would always go back to those bold titles that made her question her own life. Even the pictures didn't make her happy, they were heavily edited to make her look bad. She looked like a 'plastic-surgery obsessed' woman, and they even made the Hamptons King look about ten years older than his actual age.

She felt sick to her stomach.

* * *

 _ **I wanted to escape too, but I did care for my ride and I wanted that ride to be a cab.**_

Jack went out to the backyard with the rest of the men by the grill, Michelle stayed in the kitchen with the women of those men. "Hello Michelle, you always look so stylish.. what happened today," one asked jokingly.

All of the women were either helping with the basics of the cooking or looking after their children- cutting up the vegetables or chasing toddlers to feed them their milk.

Michelle didn't know where she stood in that kitchen. Was she that one wife that everybody knew would never really be a part of the family? You know, that one wife who was just a phase, who would soon disappear until the real right woman came along?

Jack mentioned that he wanted children ever since moving back to Jersey and how he really wanted to settle down. Michelle wasn't ready to give up on her life though.

 _ **As I looked around the room I realized that all of these women had a dream at some point. Some of them dreamed of having children and I could tell they were happy, but some had other dreams and I could also tell how miserable and hopeless they were on the inside.**_

Michelle wanted to be a part of this family, she's never really had a family, so to be invited into a warm family was something she wasn't taking for granted. However, becoming a part of this family meant she would have to give up and settle.

She was at a crossroads. She could either take a car with Jack and accept her destination or take a cab to go wherever she pleased?

* * *

Seth stopped crying when Torrie told him she would be his date to that exclusive party. She got all glammed up and he waited for her at the end of her apartment staircase, suddenly he wasn't crying and he was all cheerful.

Torrie wasn't too excited though, she just barely smiled for him. "Come on, I can't wait for the guys to meet my girlfriend," he said as he stuck his hand out for her to grab.

He walked her over to the limousine, but it didn't impress Torrie as much as he thought it would. As they drove off she felt herself give yet another man control over her.

 _ **It wasn't a cab or any old car, it was a limo, but Torrie didn't want to move... she wanted to stay in her own place to figure herself out and to work on her own thing. But this man stole her for his own life, just like Brock did twice and just like so many other men before him.**_

Torrie wanted to reach the destination, but not before she could find herself and truly leave a legacy she could be proud of. Seth didn't understand, as he already found who he was and left a legacy of his own.

* * *

Ashley's brunch with her mother and Enzo ended up going onto the afternoon, they had a small dinner at Ashley's place. They were all getting along, Sable was happy for her daughter and she was really impressed with this guy.

However, the second he left to the bathroom she had to finally be honest. "I like him, he fits you great... but you're rushing it, don't go too fast Ashley," Sable warned her daughter, "You'll only end up crashing."

Ashley put her hands on the sides of her head and she groaned. "Oh my god mother, you complain about me not having anybody in life and then when I do you find something to complain about... what is your deal!"

"When I met your father I was deeply in love and I moved way too fast, everything happened in such a flash that I didn't even take the time to see what I wanted out of life and how I wanted to spend that life and how this man could fit in my life," Sable explained, "He seemed perfect, but when I finally really did find myself and when I found that confidence... this man disappeared and he just didn't fit anymore, we ended up crashing hard, and at that point he seemed imaginary."

 _ **Ashley was going too fast with this guy, but she didn't care. She chose a cab and she pushed the driver out to speed it up through the streets, soon it was bound to crash.**_

"Are you seriously comparing him to my father... who by the way was a douche that left us," Ashley asked.

Sable shook her head, "Your father left because he didn't fit into my life Ashley... and this Enzo guy is so great, I just don't wanna see you lose him or feel pressured to lock him down," Sable admitted. "There is no need to rush it in order to lock him down sooner, if it's meant to be he'll stick around and it'll all work out," Sable told her as she headed for the door to leave.

Enzo came out of the bathroom, Ashley turned to him and she hugged him tightly. Never wanting to let him go, despite the fact that he wasn't hers. And maybe they were going too fast?

* * *

Candice's _Great Gatsby_ themed party was a hit. The yacht was rocking with all these party people, mingling and sipping their champagne all joyously. Meanwhile, Candice again reserved her own private little corner for her own misery.

She drank alone, from an entire bottle, she didn't care. The lost woman looked out upon the ocean, as if she were trying to find some type of answer to her problems. The depths were hard to search through.

"How did I get to this sad pathetic point in my life, it's been one year... how did I come to rock bottom," she cried out to her sister on the phone. "My son pushed me through that divorce and he really made me strong, but he left and my friends have all drifted away this past summer too... I am alone and an alcoholic according to this magazine," she cried.

 _ **Unfortunately, Candice couldn't find herself a ride. In a highway full of moving vehicles, not one single vehicle stopped for her... unfortunately her friends were also in moving vehicles that they couldn't control.**_

Candice hung up the phone and continued to drink by the water. The more she looked at the magazine, at the party, and at the giant posters of her with the Hamptons King the more she began to wonder. She tried tracing back through the past year of her life, trying to connect the dots, and trying to figure out which turn ended up leading her to rock bottom.

But she was lost. First lonely, now lonely and lost.

* * *

From a yacht to a small home in Jersey, Michelle was also feeling lost. However, unlike Candice, Michelle had both a cab and a car to chose between.

All three generations of women got along over in the kitchen- the grandmother, the daughters and sisters-in-law, and the young teenage girls who helped around with a few tasks in the kitchen. Michelle just couldn't find her place.

 _ **They say family is the most important thing in life, but I think independence is truly the most important thing in life.**_

For a second Michelle tried imagining herself having Jack's children within the next few years, settling down and being a part this family's Christmas cards. She tried imagining never going back to the city for her career in fashion and she tried imagining her life without her friends, but she couldn't and she shouldn't.

Michelle ran off to the bathroom to talk to her three girls, she need them most and they did too.

 _ **Maybe that's why I've never had a real family- I've just never fitted in with women and people in general who are not independent or at least searching for independence.**_

She opened up _Skype_ and sent a request to all three girls, luckily for Michelle they all responded and got on too. Family is feeling safe and fitting in perfectly, despite the differences.

 _ **I got inside a car, but I'll always know in the back of my mind that I will never take off into a life I don't belong in. I learned something about myself that day- I only want people who ride cabs in my life, because those are the people who create the life they want and who are enjoying the journey to the fullest, and if you are a part of their lives it is because they chose to ride with you down a never-ending journey.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Jack Swagger, Seth Rollins, Sable, and Enzo Amore.  
**

 **Published On July 14, 2016.**


	13. Running Towards The City

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 13: Running Towards The City**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **After nearly two months of being away, I was back in the city.**_

Michelle felt the city in her veins as she walked down the streets. One thing she wasn't going to deny herself from was shopping at _5th Avenue._ Her job called her in saying that they needed her for an important meeting that had to be in person, but why not shop a little before the meeting.

She jumped over a sewer hole in the street and then crossed the street with much delight. She swung her shopping bags as she carried on through the crowd, morning hours never looked more busier.

Michelle came into the _JAN_ 's headquarters all excited, the meeting took about three hours. It was still quite early and Michelle could either head back to Jersey if she wanted to or stay. Michelle didn't even have to ask herself the question- she would call Jack to tell him she would be sleeping with the city that night.

 _ **You can't break up two lovers that are reuniting. The City and I had an affair that went back a decade and it continued.**_

After shopping and work, Michelle went over to her little favorite bodega. She picked up a copy of this month's _Vogue_ and she grabbed a muffin to go, along with a strong cup of coffee.

Everybody else rushed past her, but Michelle took her sweet time and she soaked it all in.

* * *

 _ **Two lovers reuniting is quite something, but it doesn't compare to friends reuniting.**_

Michelle walked into that same old diner, there were a thousand more chic ones in the city. But Michelle loved that one and so did her three girls.

They were all sitting there, with a menu. Michelle rushed to them, "I'm back," Michelle exclaimed.

"Ahh," they all yelled simultaneously.

 _ **All of us stepped out of our moving vehicles to run away from it all just for a moment in that diner, because unlike the real world, brunches are sacred and therapeutic.**_

"So how's Jersey, I know you tell me all the time through the phone... but it's different in person," Torrie asked.

Michelle shrugged, "Well, don't shoot me... but I like Jersey, it's calming and it gives me this feeling," Michelle answered. Leaving the girls all confused.

Candice gasped, "Uh... Michelle, are you still in there," Candice sarcastically asked. "But I guess I can kind of believe it... I was in love with the Hamptons and now I kind of dread the Hamptons," Candice admitted.

"Oh honey, I saw that magazine article they did on you... what a bunch of bitches," Michelle replied. "And if we're being honest here... I thought I'd love being married to Jack, well before all of those months of me fearing the idea, and I guess my instincts were correct right from the beginning... because I still fear the idea of giving up my life, I already moved to Jersey for him and he's talking about having kids now and I feel pressured to settle down," Michelle told them.

"Well, I thought I'd love throwing parties and living luxuriously... but I hate it now, I got carried away and it's no fun when people think you're a sad alcoholic," Candice added.

 _ **We all ran towards the shiny things, and now we were running away from them.**_

"On a positive note, Torrie and Ashley both have guys," Michelle said leaning in towards them. Torrie shook her head, "He's a _Yankee_ and that's it... he was sweet, but it kind of seems like everything is about him, which is the reason why I broke up with Brock in the first place," Torrie told them.

Candice threw her head back, "Ugh, we're all gone doing our own things... only to find out those things aren't as fabulous, what a waste of a summer," Candice said. But Ashley shook her head, "Well, the guy I'm seeing is straight, mutually interested, and dreamy," Ashley blurted out.

All three of them raised a glass of orange juice to Ashley, "To Ashley and her new guy," Michelle exclaimed. "No offense honey, but wow, for the first time it's you with the man," Candice added and they all laughed.

Torrie hugged her and they all carried on for nearly two hours, just catching up on every little detail that was left out over the phone.

* * *

 _ **And a little hours later, in Central Park, Ashley and Enzo took a stroll through perfection.**_

The two knew each other on a deep level, after only a few weeks. Beliefs, fears, dreams- they both knew each other's. So it was truly movie-like perfection.

However, they did not know each other on the surface. Which was ironic, since the surface of a person is what you have to dig past in order to know that person's depths. Since Ashley and Enzo were moving quite fast, the surface was skipped.

"Thank god I don't have to work this week," he said. A question popped into her head, followed by many more. "What is it that you do again," she asked.

He laughed, "That's right, I don't think I've told you, what do you do," he asked her in return.

 _ **They were the classic case of 'emo couple'. Which is when two people get way too deep way too fast, they cut for each other, and they say 'I love you' after only a day of knowing each other.**_

"You know, it's funny that I've met your mother but not your friends... usually it's backwards," he joked about. She laughed and couldn't agree more.

"Well, let's start now," Ashley suggested. So the two began sharing the little simple things about each other.

* * *

 _ **Over in the Hamptons Candice was dealing with her own emo feelings- she wanted to die because she hated her life.**_

The Hamptons King invited Candice to a pre-party before the real party... which Candice popularized over the summer. You know, having a party before the actual party. However, the Hamptons King took it one step further, he had an intimate pre-pre-party-party.

It was only him, his fellow associates, and Candice having a nice lunch out on the sun. It was one of those plaid-and-tie picnic lunches, and instead of on grass, it was on a yacht. They served little fruits, accompanied by fruity tropical drinks, they all wore huge sun-hats, and they all sat neatly on colorful striped towels that were set out on the yacht.

Candice excused herself to go puke, the entire display of preppy perfection made her want to vomit. She was still a little hungover from the last party she went to, thrown by another fellow Hamptons socialite.

 _ **Having a pre-party to the pre-party of the actual party after attending another party the previous night, well that was the life Candice created over just a summer and now she just wanted to run away from it.**_

The Hamptons Queen stood on the other side, because vomiting your guts out isn't really a pretty image for a socialite bee like her. She was in no mood to even think about parties or anything loud, or just life in general.

* * *

 _ **I had three main girl-friends and then I had one main guy-friend, which is dangerous territory I will admit, but friends are friends so I had to call Mark for a reunion.**_

Mark waved from down the sidewalk, Michelle smiled through the window of her apartment. She motioned for him to walk up. So he did and when she opened the door the two hugged right away.

"I've missed you," Michelle told him.

Mark put his hands on her shoulders, "Before I even start I want to apologize for leaving you and for abandoning you the way I did... the way you always feared I would and the way so many others did to you before," Mark asked for forgiveness.

 _ **He ran away from me, I ran away from him, he ran away from me, I ran away from him, and this pattern went on and on. However, some how, the universe and the city always bring us back together.**_

The apartment was all empty, but that old couch was still there. He sat down like old times and the two got to talking.

"I really feel happy... Victoria and I are back to the romance and whole passion thing, we aren't fighting anymore and our little girl is starting to crawl, she giggles too," Mark went on about wholeheartedly.

Michelle smiled. "Well, I'm happy for you," she told him. Shortly after she could no longer hold it in, she started crying.

 _ **I felt bad because I assumed Mark had relationship woes like I did. I realized I was using the city as my hiding place because I couldn't face the real problem in my own life, but could everything shield me... because Mark sure as hell didn't with his happiness... which I'm happy for!**_

Mark hugged her. "My marriage is making me feel so lost," Michelle whispered as she wiped the tears. Mark didn't know what to say.

* * *

 _ **From one crying soul to the other.**_

Torrie was getting ready to leave for _Elle,_ to turn in her article for next month's issue. Seth stopped by expecting her to go with him to the Bronx for a day out and about, but Torrie's job was calling her.

"I have to go turn this in, so I can't go... sorry, but next time," Torrie promised him. "Why not," Seth asked.

Torrie grabbed a water bottle and a banana, she shoved it in her purse and started heading for the door thinking Seth would follow her out. But he stayed on the floor and began to cry a little.

"Please, please don't leave me alone," Seth cried. Torrie wasn't surprised with Seth's breakdown, it's not the first time.

 _ **Seth's emotions were getting the best of Torrie. His sweet side and him being a Yankee pulled in Torrie for the home-run, but boy was he a boy... like literally a little boy.**_

Torrie got on her knees next to him, "Come on, you can come with me," she insisted. "I can turn this in and then we can go out for ice-cream!"

Seth wiped his eyes and raised his head, "We can eat ice-cream while watching the recent _Yankees_ game," he added.

 _ **Brock treated Torrie like she was his daughter and now Seth was treating Torrie like she was his mother.**_

* * *

Ashley and Enzo walked all around Central Park until they knew each other on the surface, but finally it had to end. Enzo had to leave, he didn't say where, he just had somewhere to be.

"Bye," he simply said. Ashley was confused, he was acting quite suspicious.

The two kissed, but it was a different type of kiss. It felt more long as if they didn't want it to end. It felt more passionate as if they didn't want to forget it.

 _ **It looks like Enzo was also running, but Ashley had no idea. Not even in her wildest dreams did she imagine this love story would end the way it was about to end.**_

For some reason Ashley felt emotional, more than usual. She was getting some type of feeling from his end, it's like he was saying goodbye forever without actually uttering 'goodbye'.

Enzo turned to walk away. She just stood there- a part of her wanted to chase him, but she didn't want to seem paranoid and crazy.

He turned around once more and waved goodbye. Little did Ashley know it would be the last time she'd ever see him again.

 _ **That was it, just like that. The ending to their story.**_

* * *

The yacht, the parties, the fancy dinners- it was all something that Candice felt was worth the chase. But now that lifestyle was chasing her.

She left the yacht in a rush after she found out that Brooklyn was back from summer camp.

 _ **No matter what, Candice would never stop running for her son. Whether it was running after or running next to Brooklyn.**_

Candice took two cabs just to get to him. The mother didn't even care that there'd be a chance she'd end up running into Wade and his girlfriend, she just wanted to see her son after months of being apart.

By the time Candice did get to Wade's place she was out of breath. Sweating, panting, but still excited.

The door to Wade's place was open, so Candice peeked her head in and there she saw her worst nightmare. By Brooklyn's suitcases was the Hamptons magazine that did a feature on her.

 _ **Candice's nightmare kidnapped her son, the nightmare ran with him and Candice had no one to blame but herself.**_

"Oh no," Candice said under her breath, "Oh fucking no!" From behind her came Brooklyn, he nodded as to tell her that he had already read it.

He didn't look mad, so Candice thought he was okay with it, but when she went over to hug him and explain to him the entire summer he turned his back on her to walk away. He was disappointed.

Candice's entire summer came back in a flashback. How one single party turned into a hurricane, she will never know. She didn't want to make a scene, so she ran off crying underneath her dark sunglasses.

 _ **She couldn't run anywhere because she was running away from herself. Her demons were destructive, but she created them and now only she could defeat them.**_

* * *

Torrie and Seth were walking back to Torrie's place after their day out eating ice-cream and watching another _Yankees_ game, oh and after a fifteen minute trip to _Elle_. A few people stopped Seth for a picture before they finally got to Torrie's place, by then Torrie was exhausted.

"Hey, wanna go down to this bar... they are throwing a _Yankees_ -themed drinking night," Seth asked.

Torrie turned to him, she was tired of hearing the word ' _Yankees'_ and she was tired of Seth taking over her every day. "No, No! I'm sorry, I am tired and I just need some alone time," Torrie turned him down.

Seth put his hands over his face, as if he were crying... yet again. Torrie rolled her eyes, "Bye Seth," Torrie said as she headed for her apartment door.

 _ **Torrie was always running towards men, but she knew the difference between 'right' and 'wrong' now... however breaking up with a 'wrong' one was still difficult for her. So who knows where she was running with this Yankee?**_

After kissing him she closed the door on him. He looked up, "Oh, I thought she'd feel bad and come with me," he said to himself. And as if nothing happened, he just went off to the bar.

Torrie ate some peanut butter with a bare spoon while writing material for her new book.

* * *

 _ **Ashley couldn't stop feeling like she had just lost Enzo, so she went to his place to check and see if her paranoia was right.**_

It was empty, unlike her heart and mind, that apartment was empty of any hints this man ever existed. She couldn't believe it, he never even mentioned moving. Ashley didn't know if she were to feel angry or sad, but she definitely felt lost.

"What, I don't understand," she started crying out as she desperately searched through the whole apartment to look for a sign or something that could at least tell her where he went. On a wall full of graffiti was the sign, in dark black letters it read- _I definitely would have loved you, but we just weren't meant to be._

Ashley started to cry as she stared at the wall that blocked her from getting to him. To think she crumbled her wall for this man, only for him to build his higher behind her back.

 _ **They started off as lovers and ended as strangers. Just as mysteriously and strange as they started, they also ended in a mysterious way that Ashley will never understand.**_

The man was never her's, yet Ashley still felt a huge loss. Everything she thought was real and raw was just imaginary and in her head, because it was never real to him.

Ashley ran off crying, she got in a cab and went over to her art studio. She spent the night there, all alone on the floor.

 _ **She let go and he ran off, the planet they were on collapsed into a black hole.**_

* * *

 _ **I always thought I'd end up running away from New York City, but it looks I was running towards it the same way I ran towards it seventeen years ago in search of hope and a dream.**_

Michelle sat on the fire escape balcony, watching the city as it twinkled magically. She could hear the honking of the cars from blocks away, the summer winds swooshing through, and most importantly she could hear herself.

She picked up her phone and called Jack. "Hey, I just wanted to call to let you know that I'll be spending the night in the city, but I'll be back tomorrow," Michelle told her husband through the phone.

Michelle took a pause, then uttered, "I love you."

 _ **I also never thought the man I'd love would be the same man that I would end up running away from. I always thought the man I'd love would run along with me.**_

Michelle put her phone away. She looked up into the city and it winked back at her with such a spark. Michelle got up and went back inside through her window.

 _ **That night the city tucked me under its pretty lights. I slept with no man, just me and my dreams and that is why I will always find myself running towards this city.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Enzo Amore, The Hamptons King, Mark Calaway, Seth Rollins, and Brooklyn Barrett.**

 **Published On July 21, 2016**


	14. When Is Enough Enough?

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 14: When Is Enough Enough?**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **You cannot put a New Yorker in New Jersey and expect her not to say "enough is enough".**_

The night was simple- nothing too special, other than dinner with your husband and his nosy, pushy family. Michelle sat down with all of them- each more nosy and pushy than the person seated next to them.

They were all still getting used to Michelle, the newest member of the family, and vise-versa. Michelle was trying to remember names and she was trying to bond with each individual. But it's impossible to bond with somebody when you two have completely different outlooks on life.

Even the five month old baby, little Jamie, was getting a stronger grip of the large family. Michelle just couldn't find her place there.

 _ **I felt like Chanel in a room full of Old Navy.**_

"So Michelle, when do you plan on bringing a new addition to this family," one of Jack's aunts asked her. "Jack seems pretty ready, but what about you, in a year or so?"

Michelle laughed it off, with a mouth full of mashed potatoes and almost nearly choked while laughing. "Well, Jack is ready for everything... he was quite spontaneous when he proposed, but I'm not like that... so I'd say not within the next year," Michelle answered.

Jack shook his head. The entire family at the table stayed quite for a second, but little Jamie cried on the spot for his parents to change his dirty diaper. The mother got up to change him of course, which just made Michelle feel more confident about her response.

* * *

 _ **When a woman is angry she locks herself in a room, when a woman is sad she distracts herself, but when a woman has had enough she packs her bags.**_

The Hamptons kept Candice entertained during the Summer, but she was already heading towards Fall and everybody knows Manhattan is the best during the fall. The Hamptons King did not understand, he tried stopping her, "You can't possibly be leaving all of this behind, we still have one whole month left out of Summer and just imagine how prestige will be when the Winter parties come," he told her.

Candice ignored him, everything from the past three months she had packed in only three suitcases. She opened the door and hollered at the cab-driver to come and help her with the bags.

"I'll make one last appearance at tonight's party... but you're responsible for throwing the party, I am sick and tired of doing all of the work for a bunch of ungrateful socialites," Candice told him and then walked off. "It'd better be a great party, after all, it's the last one before the queen steps down!"

 _ **It wasn't a mansion near the beach she was going back to, it was a penthouse in Park Avenue... which is still pretty fucking expensive.**_

Before getting in the cab, the Hamptons winds gave her chills that went up and down her legs. The warm sun laid on her back and it gave her a sense of summer nostalgia. Before getting in the cab she looked out the window one last time and she wasn't going to miss the place.

 ** _Nobody ever gets tired of Summer, but Candice did._**

* * *

 _ **Torrie has had enough of Seth since a long time ago... but she stuck by because why the hell not?**_

The book sales were slowly decreasing, so Torrie's publishers were setting up all these touring spots for her to promote the book. The next stop on the book tour was the one and only _City Hall_ library.

Just when she was about to walk down to the subway, Seth caught her while on his way to her place. "Where are you headed, I was going to stop by your place," Seth said.

"I have to promote my book," Torrie told him, "Maybe we can hang out another time?"

Seth nodded, with his back arched and his head facing down. "You're always off, it's like you don't have time for me," he said.

 _ **It looks like Seth wasn't having enough of Torrie.**_

Torrie felt bad, she just realized that she was the 'Brock' in the relationship. He wanted to spend time with her, but she was too busy for him and he felt unwanted... just like she did when she was with Brock.

Torrie's guilt got the best of her. "You can come with me, then we can go somewhere afterwards," Torrie suggested. "I'd love to go, I can recreate the moment I first bought a book from you and everybody is going to be drawn in to buy a copy too," he said.

 _ **And that's when I got to wondering- When is enough enough? Torrie has had enough of Seth, but why is she still running around with him?**_

* * *

 _ **Well maybe, enough is enough when you feel yourself more filled with him than with yourself.**_

After dinner, Jack and Michelle went back home. Usually Jack liked to stay and chat with his family, while Michelle helped with the dishes... but Jack insisted on leaving right away and he did not look too happy.

The married couple had a quite ride home, Jack finally turned to her. "What was that back there... you laughing off the idea of starting a family with me," Jack asked.

"Sorry, but I'm just not sorry... it felt like a random question! I never even brought up the topic, ever! So for them to ask just because I'm a woman felt funny to me, we're in the 21st century... not all women want children," Michelle told him.

Jack shook his head, "So what I want is just thrown out the window," Jack asked. Michelle felt like throwing herself out of the moving vehicle, "Oh my god, Jack I moved here and you sure as hell didn't care about what I wanted, no you just pulled me here," she let him know.

Jack stayed silent, but Michelle kept on going. "I'll be ready when I'm ready... I'm not ruling children out, I just know right now is not the moment," she said.

 _ **Women know that sometimes you just have to lose a few battles, but men always seem to want to win them all.**_

Jack grunted and said, "You'll never be ready... it's like your living halfway, with one foot on this marriage and your other foot on your own separate city life."

Michelle rolled her eyes and she rolled the window down too, just to get a fresh breath of air. "I will be ready when it's my decision... and I'll prove you wrong, because I will be ready one day and yes I am living that way! Because that's called balance Jack," Michelle made a point.

 _ **This car was going by about 70 miles per hour, but our marriage seemed to be stuck on a red traffic light.**_

* * *

 _ **Enough of a human being is easy to have- but can you ever really have enough of a penis? I mean, after all, they are usually only about 6 inches.**_

Ashley was again sexting with a new guy. His picture was kind of dark, you could barely see him. But he looked 'cute' according to Ashley's lonely mind.

After Enzo left her unexpectedly, she just wanted a new guy to wow her. Sexting seemed to be the only way to get a guy's interest, so she went along with the naughty conversation.

It was all harmless, until the guy sent his penis. It was short and uncircumcised, with ginger-red hair sprouting up from the base. The tips of his pubic hairs reached the shaft of his penis, that's how small his penis was and that's how bushy his pubic hair was.

Ashley gasped, she threw her phone in disgust. "What the fuck," she yelled.

 _ **I was just kidding, it is very possible to have enough of penises. No matter how little and insignificant they are to your life, one can only take so much of a penis, yet men don't understand that.**_

Ashley backed away from her phone, which was laying on the floor upside down. She shook her head and began to cry.

After finally taking time to process the ugliness of that dick, Ashley finally picked up her phone. Before even deleting the app, she blocked him just for extra security and then she deleted the app.

Ashley ran to her bed and she cried all day. Ashley never got to see Enzo's penis, they never had sex, but that was more than alright with Ashley. It wasn't even about the ugly penis, it was more about the loneliness, and just a little bit about the penis.

 _ **We all cry about ugly penises at one point or another, but loneliness cries for us and it pushes us towards any man for a chance that he'll save us.**_

* * *

 _ **Later that afternoon, the big moment finally arrived. The Hamptons Queen would end her reign at her last party.**_

Candice wore an _Armani_ white jumpsuit, she paired it up with some golden _Prada_ heels, giant dark-tinted _Versace_ sunglasses, and a gorgeous _Tiffany & Co._ diamond necklace.

The party wasn't thrown by Candice, she didn't have the energy for that, yet she was the center of attention at that party.

Before arriving, Candice thought for a second that she would enjoy herself at that last Summer party for an hour or two and then leave... but that all changed when she overheard yet another rumor about herself.

Candice realized that nobody changed- all of the cliques and groups of people that came to all of her parties were the same people who were frozen in time. From the beginning some of these people would gossip and spread rumors about Candice, and months later they were still doing the same thing, they continued gossiping like teenagers- because they were stuck in time.

 _ **Candice had enough of not having enough. She thought parties would fulfill every little empty hole within her, but they just weren't enough to make her happy.**_

The Hamptons Queen walked all the way to the top of the staircase and everybody turned to look at her standing there. She raised her hand like a royal queen would, waving it so majestically, and then flipped everybody off. The toast became a roast.

Everybody was shocked. Candice then grabbed her diamond necklace and she broke it. It was _Tiffany_ , so it took a while for candice to really break it into pieces. Candice then grabbed the broken pieces, some diamond, and she threw it into the crowd of party people.

They all didn't know how to feel, but regardless, they went crazy and started catching the diamonds. The Hamptons King watched from the corner, he didn't try to stop her because he knew he couldn't.

On her way out Candice grabbed two glasses and filled them up with pink champagne... then she turned around for the entire bottle of pink champagne.

 _ **It was a perfect way to end a reign. It was dramatic, memorable, and extravagant.**_

* * *

After taking questions and after talking about the book a little, Torrie began distributing the books. Only about seven people got in line to buy a book, the others all scattered away throughout the rest of the library.

Seth sat in the front row, waiting for Torrie to be done. He saw and right away jumped in to help, "Hey, I'd like to buy two copies... one for me and one for _A-Rod_ ," Seth said out loud.

The people in the line all turned to him, without much care. "Who are you," one of the women asked. The man behind the woman laughed sarcastically and responded, "Some _Yankee_ who thinks he's some big hot-shot."

Seth felt the slap, "Ey', fuck you man," Seth yelled at the man. "And you're all fucking stupid for not buying Torrie's book... I mean, sure it's not a groundbreaking piece of literature or anything that can really impact the way you think, but it's worth the twelve dollars," Seth began to go off on everybody.

 _ **Not only did Torrie have enough of him, but everybody else in that library did too.**_

The line went from seven people to none. Everybody walked away, rolling their eyes, laughing under their breaths, and ready to tell their friends how they witnessed a _Yankee_ lose it.

"Seth you drove everybody away," she cried out. "I was just trying to help you," he responded after finally cooling down.

"Gosh, you're too deep into your own world that you don't notice when somebody is just trying to help," he told her. "Seth, you're always in your own baseball world... and I know what it's like to want to be a part of somebody's life, I get that you were trying to help... and I'm not mad," Torrie told him. The argument ended right then and there.

The two packed up the unsold books in a box and they headed out.

 _ **We'll never find out if the people in that library would've grown tired of Torrie's book- Zero sold.**_

* * *

 _ **We will also never find out if Enzo would've grown tired of Ashley.**_

After crying underneath her sheets, Ashley finally picked herself up. When she got up her head felt dizzy, lying down all day in the heat of July was not the best idea. She began spinning and could feel herself about to faint.

Ashley tried holding on, but everything turned black. The fall felt like it lasted a million years, when in fact it lasted for less than ten seconds. The hits she took on her way down felt like boxing punches.

All of her life came flashing through her eyes, except for Enzo. Once Ashley finally regained consciousness, she right away realized something. Enzo was never a real part of her life, he was just like some imaginative dream man she made up... he was never real.

She got up and ran out of her loft. She ran all the way to the Brooklyn Bridge Park- blocks of running and a cab got her there.

 _ **Ashley never had enough of Enzo. Maybe that's the way love was meant to work? You only get so much out of a person, until finally they fade out of your life. Unfortunately, Ashley never got to have enough of Enzo... a man who would forever remain a mystery.**_

Ashley had bruises all over her arms from fainting minutes ago, but she didn't care, she's used to having a pain that nobody could heal or care for. So she sucked it up.

She looked up at the moon and began to cry, not because of Enzo, but because the universe seemed to hate her. The universe was this big mysterious creature, yet it never seemed to let Ashley win at least one.

She laid back on the grass, looking up at the milky blue. The universe and its wonders helped bring ease to Ashley and maybe one day she'll get over Enzo and the idea of him, but it'd be tough listening to ' _Iris'_ again without thinking about Enzo. But who knows, maybe she'll eventually think of the moon when she listens to that song.

 _ **One thing's for sure, Ashley would never get tired of the magical, vast, and deep universe.**_

* * *

Candice didn't want to go straight home. So she went to the beach, to truly appreciate it. She spent an entire summer in the Hamptons but never once went to the beach.

She dialed Brooklyn, but he wouldn't pick up. She tried again another few times, but nothing.

Eventually Candice got tired, so she got on her knees and just stayed there watching the ocean's waves. She opened up her bottle of pink champagne and poured herself two cups, she then opened up some scotch and mixed it in to get more alcohol content.

Candice sat there- pink champagne, beautiful ocean, but unhappy. She felt like crying, she truly did feel hopeless. And then she figured it out, she was an alcoholic.

 _ **It looks like Candice had enough of herself.**_

Socially drinking meant having fun and socializing, which is what Candice thought she was doing the entire time. When in fact she was drinking alone to avoid her sorrows and loneliness.

* * *

Torrie and Seth finally made it to her place, but before Seth could run in like a little kid. Torrie stopped him softly, "Hey, I think we need to break up," she suggested, right up front.

Seth's eyes got watery, "Why?" His voice began to shake and Torrie felt terrible, because she's been in his shoes, but she had to go through with it. "An old friend once told me I needed to focus on myself instead of trying to force myself into a man's life... and that advice changed me, so I'm going to tell you the same," she explained, "Focus on Seth... not the _Yankees_ , on Seth and what's inside of Seth."

 _ **And just like that advice changed her, it also went on to change Seth.**_

"You just don't fit in my life and I don't want to waste your time," Torrie explained to him. She then hugged him while he held back the tears, she kissed him on the forehead. And like some majestic goddess, she walked up the stairs to her apartment.

 _ **It was the classiest breakup in the history of breakups.**_

* * *

After the huge fight, Jack took off to a bar with his cousins. Michelle tried stopping him, but he went anyway.

"Mark, don't you dare just leave," Michelle yelled from the porch. He turned to her and laughed in her face. "You're such a hypocrite! You run to your little friends and Mark whenever something goes bad," Jack confronted her on. "You're the biggest fucking hypocrite, and after this you're probably going to run to the city!"

 _ **And I am done talking about this- I have had enough. So excuse the abrupt ending to this chapter.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Jack Swagger, The Hamptons King, and Seth Rollins.**

 **Published On July 28, 2016.**


	15. We All Need Therapy, Rehab, Or Advice

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 15: We All Need Therapy, Rehab, Or Advice**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **In a world full of wars, rape, shooting sprees, stealing, lying, cheating, hunger, poverty- I can go on, but my point is we all need help. I sure did.**_

Jack had been angry at Michelle for some time now, and that just made Michelle get angry at him too.

When Jack found out that Michelle still hadn't put up her place for sell, he lost it and only got more angry. "So, apparently... you still haven't put your apartment up for sell, they called and said the rent is due next week," Jack confronted Michelle on.

Michelle was caught, she was hiding that fact from Jack, but he found out. She couldn't get all defensive or lie about it, so she stood by her decision. "I didn't sell it because I haven't found the time to do so," Michelle told him.

"It was already on the market when we left, so you had the time to take it off the market," Jack said back. "We both know you can't afford to pay that place while paying this place at the same time," he added.

Michelle didn't know what to say, she had no words or points to fight with.

"Do you already know that our marriage is going to end, is that why you're keeping your place," he asked. Michelle turned to him and tried to shake her head, but she couldn't. "Tell me, is that why," he asked.

Michelle couldn't say it wasn't true. She began crying, because it wasn't something she could deny.

 _ **It's true, I did feel like our marriage was going to end any day now.**_

* * *

That morning Ashley walked to her old therapist, but when she reached for the door she just couldn't seem to go through with it. She turned around and instead went for coffee and a cigarette.

 _ **Coffee and cigarettes were Ashley's version of travel-size therapy. We all have our own versions of travel-size therapy that we can just take with us in our purses.**_

There on the street she ran into Titus, Dwayne's friend. Dwayne was the _Knicks_ basketball player Ashley slept with months and months ago. "Hey girlie," Titus waved to her.

Ashley couldn't quite remember him, until she saw his _Knicks_ pullover sweater. "Hey, how's Dwayne," Ashley right away asked.

"He's doing fine, still single," Titus told her. He could tell she was considering going back to him for more casual sex, "But you deserve better," he insisted.

Ashley ignored him, "Okay, well it was good seeing you," she said and then walked away. Ashley had a plan, to sleep with Dwayne that night for some reevaluation.

 _ **Ashley wouldn't take the advice. After leaving therapy she had lost a girlfriend, went on horrible dates, lost a man she thought was meant for her, and cried about an ugly penis- Ashley needed therapy, but she wouldn't take it either.**_

* * *

 _ **Candice didn't mind taking advice, but only if it came from her son. Brooklyn finally forgave her and the two met up for breakfast.**_

The two ordered breakfast to go, they sat in the penthouse balcony just eating in silence. "So, how was Summer boarding school," Candice asked.

Brooklyn shrugged, "I liked it," he told her. Candice put her fork down just to take it in. Brooklyn was devastated with telling her the news that he would be attending that boarding school for the next school year.

"It's fine... if you want to go full time, that's fine, I just have to learn to let you go," Candice said.

"Thanks," Brooklyn responded. They went on like this for the next fifteen minutes or so, until Brooklyn finally spoke the unspoken. "Mom, I know everything that happened during Summer... and I just wanted you to know that I think you might-" he couldn't even say it.

Candice knew what he was going to say, so she said it for him. "An alcoholic, I am an alcoholic... there, you happy," Candice said as she got up to leave.

 _ **She didn't need advice from her son... she needed more than that, rehab.**_

Brooklyn followed her in, "Mom, I'm sorry... I'm just looking out for you," he told her. Candice turned to him and pushed him off, "Okay, Brooklyn, I get it, I'm a terrible mother who is just tragedy and I need help... it's not the first time I've heard that," Candice yelled.

"It's just gonna get worse... once I leave again for Fall, it's gonna get worse and I can't keep worrying about you... you're not some needy seventy year old and I'm only just a teenager, I can't keep worrying about you not being safe because I feel like you're just slowing me down and bringing me down with you," he yelled back at her.

Candice cried, the tears poured down her rosy cheeks. She fell to her knees and he went to hug her.

* * *

Jack knew Michelle was betting on their marriage to end, he couldn't stand the thought and being under the same roof as her only made him more angry. So Jack left to his mother's house.

Michelle was out on the porch, when she heard the front door slam open and there he was, Jack. He ran out to his car and Michelle followed, "Where are you going," she asked.

"None of your business... you probably wouldn't even care anyway, you're too busy counting down the days until we finally finish," Jack roared into her face.

 _ **Jack and I needed couples counseling- which is a sad point in a marriage, but if it's gonna keep us together it is worth it.**_

Jack got in his grey truck and off he went. He sped off and left Michelle behind in the dust.

Michelle could either stay behind and think about everything that was crashing down, or she could go after him.

Michelle put on a cardigan, yes a cardigan, and she locked the doors. She ran to her neighbor Taryn and she knocked harder than ever. "Sorry, you're probably busy or something... but can I burrow your car, you don't even have to drive me, I kind of already know how to drive," Michelle asked.

Taryn smiled and got her keys. "Oh girl, don't worry, I'll drive you myself," Taryn told her.

So the two ladies got in the car and followed Jack. "Keep on following that car," Michelle demanded. Taryn was a sweet country girl, but she stepped on the pedal.

"Thank you by the way," Michelle added. Taryn smiled, "No problem, so where is your husband off to," Taryn asked. Michelle shrugged, "I don't know, that's why we're following him," she answered.

* * *

 _ **We chase people we want to help, but grateful people we've helped chase us for a lifetime. Punk was back in the city, feeling better than when he left, and it was thanks to Torrie.**_

Torrie heard a knock, one she never thought she'd hear again. She opened the door and there he was, Punk. It's like he never changed- he was wearing a beanie, a flannel, some simple blue jeans, and his old _Converse_. Most importantly, he was still a friend. Torrie jumped for a hug.

"How have you been, I've missed you," Torrie said. "I came back to get a few things from storage... and I had to come here just to drop by and say hey," Punk told her.

Torrie let go of him, "Oh, you're going back," she asked. He nodded, but she wasn't going to let her last possible moments go to waste, so she didn't think about it. "Let's do something, how long are you here for," she asked.

"I'm here for about a week," Punk told her, "How about we have pizza and then take a walk?" Torrie jumped out of excitement, "Yeah, okay, we have to walk at our place... the Brooklyn Bridge... duh," she exclaimed.

 _ **Torrie desperately wanted to spend time with him because she was now the one who needed the shoulder to lean on. Punk was her personal therapist and she was in desperate need of him after her breakup with Seth and after having her book panned by critics.**_

Punk started walking down the stairs, he turned and said, "Thanks for being such a great friend... I needed you and if you need me I'll be here... for this week at least, but you can always fucking call." Torrie was happy hearing him curse, that was so Punk. She was used to him walking across the street to his place, but he no longer lived in the city and she needed a new way to help her cope when things went bad.

* * *

 _ **After not taking the advice, Ashley went back home to change into a provocative outfit. She waited by Dwayne's door, without any advice to consider.**_

Ashley was wearing thigh-high fishnet stockings, black stilettos, a button up shirt, and a little plaited skirt underneath. Thankfully it was a warm day- not too cold or hot. It was the perfect August summer day.

When Ashley saw the cab pull up she composed herself and got all sexy to seduce him, but when she saw him step out of the cab with another woman everything changed.

The woman was tall and thin, she was practically a _Victoria's Secret_ model. Dwayne held her hand as they drank coffee. The two laughed on and on while on their way to the door, Ashley panicked and couldn't find a place to hide.

 _ **Suddenly she was regretting not taking the advice she was given.**_

"Ashley, what are you doing here," Dwayne asked. Ashley froze, she tried hiding her slutty ensemble, but she didn't bring a coat. Dwayne's date looked at Ashley, feeling bad for her.

Ashley tried saying something, but nothing would come out of her mouth. Dwayne and his date both stared, waiting. Ashley ran off, she was humiliated.

 _ **No matter how strong she was trying to be, she needed the advice and the help.**_

* * *

Michelle and Jack also needed the advice and help, they needed to talk to each other to better understand.

 _ **I followed Jack for nearly two hours until he finally stopped at his mother's place. Maybe she could help him, but she sure couldn't help him, he was the only one who could make her view less foggy.**_

"Jack, what are you doing," she asked. He ignored her and kept on walking, "I need an answer... I need something, we need to talk, that is what married couples do," she yelled.

"Well according to you we won't be married for much longer," he yelled, "You haven't even sold your place, you don't want kids with me, you've given up."

Taryn got back inside the car, to give them some privacy. "That is not true Jack... I've given up so much for you, I'm trying here, why can't you give up a few things for me," she asked him crying.

 _ **Maybe we both needed help, separately. Maybe that is why we weren't fitting into this marriage- because we left the missing pieces in our puzzles so undone.**_

"And stop seeing Mark," Jack added. Michelle crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, "Fuck you Jack, fuck you," she uttered and then walked away.

She got in Taryn's car and off they went. Jack went to his mother and he told her everything.

It's as if they were both starting to write the last few chapters to their book.

* * *

 _ **Getting help is tough, because accepting and looking for help means you've admitted to being down. Candice didn't want to admit to the scary fact that she was an alcoholic- she had been denying since last year, even before that.**_

The 41 year old walked in- dressed sharply and confident. The second Candice saw all of the desperate broken people she left.

"Mam, it's okay," a man told her. Candice ignored him, "No, no, I'm fine," she insisted as she shunned him.

 _ **It looks like Candice didn't want to go to rehab. They tried to make her go, but she said "no, no, no".**_

Candice took off with her _Prada_ and she ran as fast as she could. No woman like her would go to rehab, and nobody could make her go. Not even her son, because nobody knew what she needed. At least that's what she was telling herself.

* * *

Torrie was telling herself the opposite- she was telling herself how much she needed Punk's help. Having him back, even if it was just for a week, was exactly what Torrie needed.

The two walked along the bridge, like always, right in between their two vastly different worlds. "So how the hell have you been," Punk asked.

"Where do I start! My book, it got horrible reviews, but I'm proud of it," Torrie told him, "I'm excited for the next one, I'm working to make it better than the first one!"

Punk raised his eyebrows, he was surprised that he didn't bring up her dating life. "What about Brock, or any other love-related issues," he asked, "I'm so used to that being our topic of discussion!"

Torrie shrugged, "Well I didn't give Brock a third chance because I knew he would ignore my life and keep me as a prop," Torrie explained to her friend.

"What about the _Yankee_ you were telling me about," Punk asked. Torrie laughed out loud, "He was exactly like Brock... everything was about him, he was living in his own little world! A man with a big ego just didn't fit into my life because I was too busy with my book and career," Torrie said.

 _ **It turns out Torrie didn't need Punk as much as she thought she did.**_

Punk was surprised in every good way, he gasped. "Holy fuck! I am proud," Punk exclaimed. "You've come a long way and I'm glad you have," Punk told her.

Torrie blushed. "Well, I'm no longer thirty... I'm thirty-one now and I am learning that a man won't help me be happy... life won't stop, so I figured that I'd keep moving forward and keep building my life and a man will someday come into that built life," Torrie explained to him.

Punk wrapped his arm around her, "This is how a proud father feels when his daughter is all grown up," Punk teased. The two kept on walking down the Brooklyn Bridge, with the sunset in the background.

 _ **Punk wasn't Torrie's personal therapist- but he sure was her friend. She didn't need his advice anymore, but she still needed his love and support.**_

* * *

 _ **Ashley needed a therapist more than s**_ _ **he needed a friend.**_

After humiliating herself, Ashley rushed home with tears in her eyes. She put herself in a vulnerable situation, only to be shot down.

Ashley lied on her bathroom floor, crying over her loneliness. She couldn't help it, she broke down. After all, a girl can only take so much.

 _ **Maybe that's why we need the help. Therapists exist for a reason.**_

Ashley didn't feel like getting up, the bathroom mat felt nice and soft. She felt so alone and empty. Every time she tried to get a little pill out of a man, he would only end up poisoning her.

The phone rang and Ashley went to pick it up. She hesitated at first, but she finally went over. It was a number she didn't recognize, so she let it go to voicemail. _"Hey, this is Brooklyn, I found your number on my mother's address book-"_ before he could finish Ashley picked up.

"Hey sweetie, what's going on," Ashley asked with a stuffy nose. _"I want to have an intervention for my mother, she's an alcoholic and I just thought her friends should be at the intervention,"_ he said.

Ashley didn't know what to say about Candice being an alcoholic. Regardless, off she went. "I'm on my way," Ashley said.

 _ **Candice needed rehab and Ashley needed therapy- but we all need friends.**_

* * *

 _ **After chasing Jack around, I was chasing myself... with the help of Taryn, because god knows I lost sight of who I was before all of this.**_

Michelle and Taryn sat in the car, Michelle threw her head back and looked out the window. Jersey had a pretty starry sky, it was the typical summer night- fresh and free.

"I don't know what to do... I've given up so much for him because I keep thinking that he is the one and that marriages work like that," Michelle admitted, "I always feel like this marriage can end any day now, and I always thought that's how relationships work... but it's not how they work! A relationship should mesmerize you and enchant you, endings shouldn't even be on one's mind!"

 _ **And then I realized Jack and I didn't need couples counseling... we just needed a good lawyer.**_

Taryn didn't feel like it was her place to speak about her marriage, so she didn't, instead she spoke about the rights of a woman. "I love New Jersey... I can't imagine moving for a man," Taryn told Michelle. "You don't love Jersey, you're a city girl," Taryn added.

Michelle couldn't fight the tears. "I miss my friends, I miss the city... I miss my freedom," Michelle cried out.

Taryn tapped her on the shoulder, "Do what's right for you... whatever it is, do it," Taryn advised her. "Life is too short to let some man feel it for you.. you have to go out and feel it for yourself," Taryn told her.

 _ **A friend's advice is something we all need- I got it from a Jersey girl and it opened up my eyes.**_

* * *

 _ **No matter where Candice ran to the help found her because she had people that cared about her in her life.**_

After going out for a long dinner alone and a contemplated walk around Central Park. Candice finally came home... only to find herself trapped.

"What is going on," Candice asked. Brooklyn was standing up, Ashley and Torrie were sitting down on the couch, Michelle was on speaker, and Candice's sister was on the laptop's web-cam. "Seriously, what the hell is going on," Candice continued to ask.

Brooklyn took her by the arm and he brought her to the living room, "This is an intervention," Brooklyn said. "Candice, we care about you, your son cared so much that he set this all up! We don't want you to end up dying or something from alcohol poisoning," Ashley told Candice.

"We're here for you- not to judge, but to support and help," Torrie added. _"From your hometown Milwaukee,"_ Candice's sister said. _"To Jersey,"_ Michelle added through the phone's speaker. "Because mom you've tried to avoid and escape all of this- but it only made things worse! And now you know that people from all corners care, so you can only run so far," Brooklyn told his mother.

 _ **Like mine- Candice's eyes opened up too.**_

"Yes, I am an alcoholic," Candice admitted to everybody. "I just feel like I've let you all down... especially you Brooklyn. I just thought that the more I ran the better chances were of me finding a better place... because ever since that divorce I have been in a dark place and I have hated myself for not being stronger," Candice explained, "But it's time to take a different approach and go to rehab..."

Brooklyn hugged her, then Torrie and Ashley hugged her too. Candice's sister and Michelle both hugged her virtually.

 _ **We all need rehab, therapy, and advice... also known as friends- after all, friends are free. They're priceless, unlike therapy sessions or rehab or counseling... learning from mistakes is truly priceless because without mistakes you wouldn't grow and prosper.**_

* * *

 **Special Guest Stars~ Jack Swagger, Titus O'Neil, Brooklyn Barrett, Taryn 'Tiffany' Tarrell, CM Punk, and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.**

 **Published On August 11, 2016.**


	16. Losing Yourself To Find Yourself

**New York City Friends**

 **Season 3, Episode 16: Losing Yourself To Find Yourself**

 **Starring~ Michelle McCool, Ashley Massaro, Candice Michelle, and Torrie Wilson.**

* * *

 _ **From the beginning Jack was my 'Titanic Jack', it felt like a love story. We lost sight of each other for more than a decade and we found each other again- and I thought getting married would mean that we would be together forever and never lose each other, little did I know I could end up losing myself.**_

Jack and Michelle had made up a few days ago, they didn't want to be fighting forever. Jack's mom talked to the two and she convinced them to apologize to each other.

The married couple got up extra early that Thursday night to prepare a breakfast together. "You know, I have a friend who knows of a small little fashion boutique here in Jersey and they're hiring... maybe you can apply and you won't have to go to the city anymore," Jack suggested.

Michelle froze in the middle of stirring the pancake mix. "Jack, it took me forever to get the job with that London fashion company... that's why we broke up in the first place, because you didn't want me to go to London for that interview," Michelle reminded him. Jack went silent, so Michelle gave the idea at least a little consideration. "I'll think about it," she said.

 _ **I didn't know who I was or what I wanted anymore, even Jack didn't know who he was and what he wanted. We were both lost.**_

Jack shook his head, "No, you keep your job and it's okay that you have to go to the city once in a while," Jack insisted.

The couple no longer fought, they weren't even angry on the inside anymore- it seems like they had nothing to fight for.

* * *

 _ **Ashley went through many doors and along the way men greeted her, but they were the reason Ashley lost herself. Today she went through Dwayne's door.**_

A week ago she waited by his place, only to be heartbroken when she saw him bringing another girl home. He called her days later to apologize and she fell into his trap, he convinced her to come to his place and she did.

For a second Ashley really did believe he would save her- but it was just sex. The sex was enjoyable for Dwayne, but for Ashley it was just something she was doing. Ashley didn't know who she was anymore- an independent woman with insecurities who now depended on the validation and desire of men.

 _ **That same morning she called her therapist right away for an appointment.**_

She left Dwayne's place feeling even more lost and empty.

* * *

 _ **Candice lost herself too for a while- drinking, partying, and shopping helped her cope. But Candice the light that guided her through that dark tunnel- her son Brooklyn.**_

Brooklyn wanted to stay with his mother for the remainder of the summer, just to be there for her. It was now rehab check-in day for Candice, so he made sure she was all packed and ready to check in.

Candice knew she would've put it off if Brooklyn weren't around, she would've found some excuse to not pack. Then again, if Brooklyn weren't around rehab would've never been somewhere Candice would even think about going to.

The mother and son packed the last few things. Candice started to cry, she leaned her head down while she put her hands on her thighs. Crying helplessly, but not hopelessly.

 _ **Candice realized she needed her son, she was afraid she would fall apart again without him.**_

Brooklyn turned to her, "I know this is hard mom," Brooklyn told her, "But a lot of people go to rehab and they get better afterwards-"

Candice interrupted her, "It's not that, I actually don't know why I'm crying," Candice lied to her son. She didn't want to tell him that she needed him because she didn't want to burden him or hold him back from living his own youthful life.

She wiped the tears away and continued packing, "Let's finish up and then we'll grab some breakfast," Candice said with her tone raised to a more positive and uplifting one.

* * *

 _ **That Thursday morning Jack and I went to church. Most people go to find themselves there, I personally usually go to Fifth Avenue to find myself, that is my version of church. We went for Jack's niece's baptism.**_

Jack had tears in his eyes seeing his little niece up there, the rest of his family were also emotional seeing the ceremony. Meanwhile Michelle tried to also get emotional, but she didn't want to fake anything. So she simply stood by Jack and held him while they all watched the holy water being sprinkled on the little girl's head.

Michelle has never seen Jack with tears in his eyes. She knew he wasn't too religious, but just to make sure she asked him, "You're teary- this is a happy occasion, not a sad one?" Jack turned to her and nodded, "I know, these are tears of joy! Just watching that little innocent child getting blessed, with no idea of what's to come for her in this world, but she has her parents and god protecting her," Jack told Michelle.

 _ **Jack wanted children, a stay-at-home wife, a white picket fence, and that whole suburban thing. I couldn't possibly take that away from him, just like he couldn't take who I was away from me.**_

Michelle leaned in to Jack and whispered, "I have to go to the bathroom." Jack let her go and so off she went.

She rushed to the bathroom and locked herself in a stall. She pulled out a pen and a piece of lined paper and she started to write for him and her.

Everything she was feeling and all of the reasons why they wouldn't work she wrote down.

 _ **This Titanic was about to sink, only this time a little woman would be responsible for bringing down such a large ship. I didn't want to lose myself any further and I didn't want Jack to lose anything else, so I had to sink this ship.**_

* * *

 _ **While some of us were losing ourselves and trying to re-find ourselves, others had already found who they were. For so long Punk never understood love, but he made a discovery.**_

The second Punk woke up he rushed to Torrie's place. The city morning was nice and chilly, with a warm sun in the sky. Punk felt alive and at peace.

He knocked softly on Torrie's door, she didn't recognize the knock so she assumed it was some other random person but there he was standing with a smile and some flowers in his hand.

"I love you Torrie, as a friend! I truly do love you," Punk said to her the second his eyes met hers. Torrie didn't know what to say, but her heart was definitely ecstatic.

"Punk, I don't even need to tell you because you already know that I have loved you as a friend too," she told him. "Hearing you proclaim love is so surreal," Torrie admitted.

 _ **Hearing "I love you as a friend" is probably not what many women or even men want to hear... but to Torrie that was gold, especially since it was coming from Punk.**_

"You made me believe in love... it looks like you fucking won our one year argument about the legitimacy of love," he said. "You being there for me while I pushed you away, that meant that you cared and that you loved and I feel the same way... with my mom's death, I've just discovered that love truly fucking does exist," he told her.

Torrie invited him in for breakfast, where the two went on and on about love.

* * *

Packing took Candice a few hours, she didn't know what _Prada_ heels to take with her. Brooklyn was packed in an hour, because he already knew what he wanted and he wanted to go to that boarding school.

 _ **The two were going off- Brooklyn to his boarding school and Candice to rehab. Brooklyn really wanted go to this boarding school where he could find himself, Candice didn't want him to get lost like she did... so she kept the negativity away and let him go.**_

Candice accompanied him to the airport, the boarding school was all the way in Washington. She held his hand while and when it came time for him to take off she held tightly in her arms, "I'm going to miss you... but I'll be fine, don't you dare worry about me," Candice told him. "I'll miss you too," Brooklyn said.

"So we'll see each other Thanksgiving," Candice said. Brooklyn shook his head, "The second you get out of rehab I'll come down to visit and then we'll see each other again for Thanksgiving," he told her.

Brooklyn started walking away, "Well I have to go," he said while waving goodbye.

Candice smiled through it all and she waited by the window until his plane was up in the air. Instead of being depressed, she went out for some iced coffee while she waited for her rehab check-in time.

* * *

 _ **Candice was going to rehab, Ashley was going to therapy- sometimes we get so lost we need the professional help. After calling her former therapist, Ashley and her therapist decided to meet up for the first time in months.**_

"So, looks who's back," the receptionist teased as Ashley signed in. Ashley laughed, but inside she wanted to strangle that receptionist. "She has a client in, she'll be out any minute now," the receptionist told Ashley.

So Ashley went to wait where she used to always wait. The same dated magazines sat there in a pile, the perfect celebrities and models on the covers were mocking her. She was surrounded by some new faces, but she recognized a lot of the old faces.

"Okay, Ashley," her therapist called out from the door of her office. Ashley rushed to her, wanting to share everything she's been through in the past few months with her therapist.

 _ **The therapy session lasted four hours. Ashley ended up paying a fortune.**_

After four hours of talking, her therapist finally concluded the session with an 'aha moment' that would forever change Ashley's life. "You are lost because you fall in love and invest your time in people who probably don't even care about you the way you care about them and when that person leaves your life you feel empty and lost," the therapist enlightened Ashley, "Maybe it's time you fall in love with yourself first- you have to push the insecurities away and get to know yourself so that you don't feel lost."

 _ **Ashley's mouth dropped, it was one of those moments when a woman feels changed.**_

* * *

 _ **Torrie was about to feel changed too, well changed about how she saw her good old friend Punk.**_

Punk spent about one week in the city, but it was time for him to go back to Chicago. Torrie got emotional saying goodbye, but she knew he had to go.

Torrie gave him a little bag of cookies for him to enjoy on his way to the airport. They hugged on her doorstep and just when Torrie was about to head back inside Punk pulled her by the arm. He got her close to his body and he looked straight into her eyes, he held her face with his hand and he slowly put his lips on her's.

Torrie certainly didn't stop the kiss, she was too busy questioning the kiss. He pulled away and couldn't even look her directly in the eye,"Well I better get going," Punk said as he rushed off.

Torrie didn't know what to think, she was confused. However, she wasn't confused about the feeling of the kiss, it felt true and right.

 _ **Punk left because he was in love, he finally found somebody and that scared him so he ran. He wanted more and Torrie wanted more- but he couldn't let that happen.**_

After kissing one of his best friends, Punk went home to his new apartment in the city. The truth was he was living in the city again, he left for Chicago but came back to live full-time in the city. Torrie thought he was going back to Chicago and that's what Punk wanted her to believe.

 _ **He got a new phone number and did not bother to give it to Torrie. So he wasn't really one plane ride away or one call away because if Torrie tried either of those she would end up lost in space.**_

* * *

 _ **I didn't blame Punk, sometimes it's better to run away from somebody you love so that you can avoid hurting them. I was about to do the same thing.**_

It was about 9:00 pm, Jack was in the living room watching TV while Michelle got some suitcases out. She quietly started grabbing all of her belongings, anything that meant the most to her she packed in first and whatever didn't fit in the three suitcases she'd have to return for later.

Michelle let Taryn know about her plan, so Taryn did anything she could to help. Taryn parked her little old _Jeep_ by the curb of Michelle's place, Michelle threw the suitcases out the window for Taryn to grab and put in the car. Unfortunately, three quarters of Michelle's belongings were still out. Taryn was generous enough to bring some boxes and Michelle rushed to pack everything in those boxes.

"I'll meet you out down the block in about an hour," Michelle told Taryn.

* * *

Candice finally made her way to the rehabilitation center. She didn't shake or get anxious while walking there, she stood tall and she faced this with a brave face.

 _ **At 9:00 PM Candice checked herself into rehab.**_

"We've been expecting you Candice, it's nice to see you," one of the nurses said. Candice smiled, but when the nurse tried to take away Candice's purse Candice backed off. "It's _Prada_ ," Candice warned the nurse with the sticky fingers.

The nurse backed off, but Candice laughed it off and handed her the purse. "Sorry," she uttered.

Candice wanted to hold on to all of the glitz and glam she was used to, but there comes a time when a person just needs to let go to receive better things out of life.

 _ **Sometimes you have to get a little lost to find a new you, a better you, and a stronger you.**_

* * *

 _ **And one hour later at 10:00 PM this ship of Jack and I would finally sink.**_

Jack approximately came to to the bathroom at 9:29 pm to clean up, he then lied awake while talking to Michelle. The married couple talked about Jack's niece, Jack eventually put himself to sleep.

He dreamed of a life he so desired and Michelle knew too, which is why she had to take that train and leave his life for her own life. She realized that the two had a life to fulfill and they both deserved to have everything they wanted, so as much as it hurt to leave she knew she had to.

When Jack finally fell asleep she sneaked out the back door, but before leaving she left him the letter right by his bedside. Taryn waited for her down the block, Michelle rushed inside and off she went.

 _ **And that was the last time I ever saw Jack.**_

Taryn drove Michelle all the way to the _NJ Transit_ in Newark. "Is it okay if I leave my stuff at your place until I can come and pick them up," Michelle asked Taryn. Michelle didn't even need to ask, Taryn just smiled and nodded.

"Well I'm gonna miss you," Michelle said, "And thank you so much, for everything, I will never ever forget you friend!"

Taryn hugged her, she then helped her with the suitcases.

 _ **That was not the last time I would see Taryn.**_

Michelle walked rushed to get on the train, but it left as soon as she got there so she had to wait for the next one. While sitting there on the bench she thought about Jack, not about herself but about Jack. She thought about him so much that she thought maybe she should just go back to him.

However she knew it was the best thing for the two. She still loved Jack, which made leaving him harder.  
 _ **I always thought Jack would complete me, or just any man in general. I thought he would save me and I thought I would find myself through him... but those were things only I could do for myself.**_

At approximately 12:00 am the train arrived, it was midnight and Michelle was cold. The East Coast weather was slowly fading from Summer to Fall, it was getting chilly. The little yellow lights in that train station kept flickering, reminding Michelle that her marriage was very dim and she had to go.

 _ **The truth is I was saving myself, not the marriage. I'd like to think that I was also saving Jack and I'd like think he will one day go on to have what he really wanted in life.**_

Michelle got in the train. She looked out the window, watching as she left a chapter she will forever cherish. Jack will forever be in her heart and so will Jersey.

Michelle's biggest fear was losing freedom and she used to think the city represented that freedom for her, but she now knew that it wasn't the city that had the freedom... it was her and no man would ever be able to take it away, not even a husband.

 _ **This chapter was now sealed too. From the very beginning I promised myself I would keep my freedom and I did. You can't blame a girl for getting lost in the vast spaces of freedom. Don't ever wait for a man to help you find yourself, because he too will get lost in your intimidating freedom. If I've learned anything, it's that the only person who could find me was me.**_

* * *

 **Published On August 26, 2016.**

 **Special Guest Stars~ Jack Swagger, Brooklyn Barrett, CM Punk, and Taryn Terrell.**

 **To anybody who feels lost or who has felt lost at one point in there lives. It was a season of discovery, until next season!**


End file.
